UNGA President expresses optimism on India's UNSC permanent seat bid, says ‘India is a mature UN Member’

Acknowledging India's significance in the United Nations, President of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis, expressed optimism about India's potential to secure a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. 

Responding to a question on the absence of the largest democracy from the security council, Dennis Francis, said, "India is a mature, highly respected member of the United Nations. It is a leader in many ways. And I'm sure that that fact is not lost on the members of the General Assembly."

"So I wish the government and people of India every success in their quest to assume membership of the council on a permanent basis. Whether that occurs or not will be a matter for the members to determine," he added while addressing a press conference in the national capital on Wednesday.

‘UNSC harks back to a time that no longer exists’

He also expressed concerns about the outdated structure of the UNSC which is not able to reflect the current geopolitical scenario.

"The Security Council of the UN as it currently exists harks back to a period in world history that no longer exists. Since then, the world has changed radically," remarked Francis, highlighting the council's inability to make crucial decisions for international peace and security, often due to geopolitical influences leading to the use of the veto.

"The fact of the matter is that the council has, in recent years, been progressively unable to take the decisions necessary to assist and support the strengthening of international peace and security. Largely for geopolitical reasons. The geopolitics, the global dynamics of the geopolitics, get imported into the council and that results invariably in the use of the veto by one or the other party," he added.

India's quest for a permanent seat in the UNSC

India has been trying to secure a permanent seat on the Security Council for years. Over the years, its bid for a permanent seat gained strength after receiving support from influential figures like Dennis Francis, and major countries. 

India has been a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for eight terms (16 years). India is a member of the G4, a group of nations that back each other to seek permanent membership in the UNSC. The countries advocate for reform in the UNSC.