India should have permanent seat in UN Security Council, says US President Biden
India, one of the founding members of the world body has been elected as a non-permanent member of the Council seven timesThe UNSC comprises 15 members, including 10 non-permanent and five permanent members
PremiumUS President Joe Biden ‘strongly feels’ that India should have a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, said Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Friday.
Addressing a special press conference after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Biden, Shringla said: “There was an appreciation of our presidency of the UN Security Council, especially on the Afghanistan issue."
"President Joe Biden was very specific in stating that he felt India should have a permanent seat in the UN Security Council," he added.
Shringla also said that the two leaders acknowledge that the comprehensive global strategic partnerships between two countries are strongly anchored in a shared commitment to democratic values and common strategic interests.
“It was a meeting which is characterized by warmth and cordiality. It was both productive and timely," he said.
India, one of the founding members of the world body has been elected as a non-permanent member of the Council seven times during the years- 1950-1951, 1967-1968, 1972-1973, 1977-1978, 1984-1985, 1991-1992 and most recently in 2011-2012.
The UNSC comprises 15 members, including 10 non-permanent and five permanent members. The 193-member UNSC holds elections every year to elect five non-permanent members for a two-year term at the UN.
Apart from this, there are five permanent members of the Council-China, France, Russia, the UK and the US.
First bilateral meeting
PM Modi and President Joe Biden on Friday held their first bilateral meeting since the latter assumed office and discussed progress in ties and issues related to trade, Covid-19, climate change and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
PM Modi, who met Biden at the Oval Office of the White House, said in his opening remarks that the bilateral summit was important and seeds have been sown for an even stronger friendship between India and the US.
After the meeting, Modi said that Biden's leadership on critical global issues is commendable and India and the US would work together to overcome key challenges like Covid-19 and climate change.
‘Committed to taking on challenges’
India and the US are the world's largest democracies and the two countries are committed to taking on the toughest challenges together, President Joe Biden said after meeting with PM Modi.
“This morning, I hosted Prime Minister Modi at the White House as we launch a new chapter in the history of US-India ties. Our two nations are the largest democracies in the world, and we’re committed to taking on the toughest challenges we face — together," Biden said in a tweet along with a picture of shaking hands with Modi.
Since January, PM Modi and Biden have participated in three summits. Two of them were hosted by President Biden - the Quad virtual summit in March and the Climate Change Summit in April, which was also held virtually. PM Modi also virtually took part in the G7 Summit held at Cornwall in the UK in June this year.
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