India has expressed its support for expanding both permanent and non-permanent categories of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) membership, as this is the only way to achieve genuine reform of the Security Council and make it legitimate, representative, responsive, and effective. Speaking at the UNSC, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj, clarified that expanding only in the non-permanent category would not solve the problem. She stated that doing so would widen the gap between permanent and non-permanent members, further entrenching a dispensation that is no longer relevant in the current geopolitical context.
Kamboj acknowledged that the present structure of the Security Council is not reflective of contemporary realities, and there is an urgent need to reform it. She cited a 2015 Framework Document, stating that out of 122 member states who submitted their positions in the Document, 113 supported expansion in both categories of membership specified in the Charter. She added that over 90% of the written submissions in the Document are in favour of expansion in both categories, making a strong case for expanding permanent memberships.
Kamboj addressed concerns that expanding the permanent category would be undemocratic. She failed to understand how something that is clearly being called for by the majority of the membership is undemocratic. She emphasised that they cannot and must not continue to be hostage to the minority in intergovernmental negotiations.
The 2015 Framework Document has information readily available and just needs to be reflected clearly in the next updated iteration of the Elements Paper, according to Kamboj. She added that combining this updated data with the positions expressed from the Floor during subsequent IGN meetings, including today's proceedings, will provide a clear way to assign attributions to the various positions on this important cluster in their single consolidated text.
Kamboj clarified that she is not discussing which specific member states would occupy the new permanent seats in an expanded and reformed Council. She is merely discussing a possible framework for the creation of new permanent seats.
In summary, India believes that expanding both permanent and non-permanent categories of the UNSC membership is the only way to achieve genuine reform of the Security Council. The majority of member states support expansion in both categories of membership, making a strong case for expanding permanent memberships. The information necessary for this expansion is readily available and must be reflected in the updated iteration of the Elements Paper. While Kamboj did not discuss which member states would occupy the new permanent seats, she merely discussed a possible framework for creating them.
