India has strongly reiterated its demand for urgent UNSC reforms, stressing that the Council must reflect present-day realities and give greater representation to the Global South. Ambassador Yojna Patel emphasised that reforms must include expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories, text-based negotiations, and stronger transparency in working methods.

India has called for urgent reforms in the United Nations Security Council, arguing that the decision-making structure must adapt to contemporary realities. Ambassador Yojna Patel, Charge d’Affaires of India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, said the need for reforming the Council was more pressing than ever before.

She pointed out that the world of 1945 has changed beyond recognition, with UN membership having grown fourfold since then. Patel stressed that the outcome of one conflict 80 years ago cannot determine the composition, dynamics, approaches and working methods of the Council for perpetuity. She urged that change must happen at the earliest.

India’s position on UNSC reforms was reiterated clearly. Patel said expansion must occur in both categories of membership, with greater representation for developing countries and the Global South. She insisted that this could only be achieved through text-based negotiations with defined milestones and timelines.

She highlighted that discussions on improving the Council’s working methods should not be done in isolation. Patel explained that working methods reform is inherently linked to other clusters such as membership categories, regional representation and the veto issue. She warned against treating these matters separately.

Patel raised concerns over the continued provisional nature of the Security Council’s Rules of Procedure. She argued that existing frameworks should not be cited as obstacles to implementing reforms.

The provisional nature of the rules, she said, suggests they can be amended suitably from time to time. Therefore, existing working methods must not be used as a challenge to block membership expansion.

India also called for greater transparency in the Council. Patel said non-permanent members must have equal access to documents and information. She stressed that access to historical documents must not remain the exclusive preserve of a few.

She further emphasised that countries contributing troops and police to UN peacekeeping missions must have a role in decision-making on key issues. Patel explained that Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) and Police Contributing Countries (PCCs) go far beyond UNSC membership and must be part of the decision-making architecture on mandates and resources.

India urged the Council to resolve delays in finalising chairs of subsidiary bodies. Patel called for a fixed timeline for the process, saying Note 507 must be amended to include a definitive and non-negotiable timeline for finalising chairs.

On terrorism, Patel warned that UNSC membership must not be instrumentalised to pursue political interests. She said presence in the Council should not be used to legitimise terrorists by attempting to de-list them or to list other entities as terrorist organisations based solely on political considerations without objective criteria or documentation.

In her concluding remarks, Patel called for stronger coordination between the Security Council and the UN General Assembly. She described the Assembly as the most universal and democratic arm of the UN and said working methods must be reviewed to pave the way for closer interaction between the Council and other principal organs.

India’s intervention reflects its long-standing demand for comprehensive reforms, including expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories, greater representation for Africa and the Global South, and stronger accountability in working methods.

The call aligns with broader debates on reforming multilateral institutions to ensure they remain effective and legitimate in addressing today’s challenges.

ANI