Question : UNSC Reforms

(a) whether the United Nations General Assembly has recently adopted a resolution to begin discussions on security council reforms at the Inter-governmental Negotiations Group (ING) on the basis of a framework document;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the response of the Indian Government thereto;

(c) whether India’s stake to claim permanent membership in the UNSC is likely to get a fillip due to the said move;

(d) if so, the details in this regard along with efforts made by India to acquire permanent membership in UNSC during the last one year; and

(e) the countries who are currently supporting the country’s endeavour?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) & (b) Under the Agenda item ‘Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters’, the UN General Assembly by its Decision 69/560 (A.69/L.92) of 14 September 2015 decided to continue intergovernmental negotiations on the Security Council reform and further build on the positions of and proposals made by Member States reflected in the text and its annex circulated by the President of the General Assembly in his letter dated 31 July 2015.

(c) & (d) India has, in recent past, taken a series of initiatives, both at the bilateral and multilateral levels towards securing India’s permanent membership in a reformed UNSC. These encompass actively campaigning for UNSC reform through the G4 forum (Group of Four – India, Japan, Brazil and Germany), the L.69 Group (cross regional grouping of developing countries) and in the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) process currently underway at the United Nations. Due to India’s consistent outreach efforts with partner member states, the unanimous Decision 69/560 was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 14 September 2015.

(e) There is a broad recognition of India’s credentials to be a permanent member of reformed UN Security Council. Once a decision is taken to create additional permanent seats by the UN General Assembly, India will seek the formal support of the member states of the UN General Assembly, so as to be elected to one of the additional permanent seats.

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