There is a steady accretion of support for India’s candidature for permanent membership of the UN Security Council. Several countries – permanent members as well as others – have expressed support for India’s candidature either in the UN or in the context of bilateral exchanges. Giving this information in the Lok Sabha today the Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri Rao Inderjit Singh said that such support, however, is expressed in different forums and forms and it is, therefore, difficult to give a definitive number on countries which have specifically supported India.
The Minister further said that the issue of the reform and restructuring of the UN Security Council has been under discussion at the United Nations for several years. There are several complex issues involved in the question of restructuring the UN Security Council as well as the question concerning new permanent members. In view of the complexities and the diverse perceptions on the specifics of such reforms among member States, a decision on this issue has not been reached as yet.
Any expansion of the UN Security Council would require support of two-thirds of the members of the UN including that of all permanent members of the UN Security Council, he added.
The Minister was replying to a question by S/Sh. Chandra Bhushan Singh, M. Shivanna, Harishchandra Chavan and Smt. Kiran Maheshwari.
AK/SK/JA
(Release ID :7618)