Kuwait has publicly expressed its support for India's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), marking a significant endorsement amid ongoing global discussions about UNSC reform.

Tareq Albanai, Kuwait's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on Security Council reform, emphasised India's status as a "main player on the world stage" during a press briefing on the current status of negotiations within the UN General Assembly.

Albanai highlighted that any expansion of the Security Council—from its current 15 members to potentially 21 to 27 members—would make India a strong contender for a permanent seat, subject to the consensus of the broader UN membership, which comprises 193 countries.

Albanai also recalled his recent visit to India, undertaken with his co-chair, Austria's Alex Marschik, to engage in high-level discussions about the future of the Security Council.

He reiterated that the goal of a reformed UNSC must be to ensure fair and representative participation for all UN member states, reflecting contemporary geopolitical realities. The process of reform remains complex and requires broad agreement, but steady progress is being made through the IGN framework.

India's campaign for a permanent seat has gathered momentum in recent years, with growing international support. Notably, France has reiterated its backing for India's candidacy, especially as it assumed the monthly presidency of the UNSC in April 2025. The French Embassy in India publicly stated its commitment to advancing UNSC reforms that would secure a permanent seat for India, aligning with the broader push for a Security Council that better represents today's global order.

Currently, the UNSC consists of five permanent members with veto power—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. India has long argued that its inclusion as a permanent member would enhance the Council's legitimacy and responsiveness, particularly in representing the interests of the developing world.

Support from countries like Kuwait and France, along with others such as the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, and members of the Asia-Pacific group, underscores India's growing influence and the increasing recognition of the need to reform the UNSC to reflect 21st-century realities.

ANI