India has consistently called for a comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council

Criticizing the "unwillingness of some" to engage in substantive discussions, India has said that the longer the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reform is stalled, the greater is the deficit in representation.

"The longer the Security Council reform is stalled, the greater its deficit in representation. And representation is – an inescapable precondition for its legitimacy and effectiveness," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ruchira Kamboj pointed out in a Joint Statement on behalf of the G4 nations.

The G4 nations comprise Brazil, Germany, Japan, and India.

"The position of the G4 on the substance of the reform is well-known. We uphold the need for a comprehensive reform of the Security Council, with the expansion of seats in both categories of membership, equitable regional representation, more transparent and inclusive working methods and an enhanced relationship with other UN bodies, including the General Assembly," she stated.

Noting that the item on equitable representation in the Security Council was included on the General Assembly agenda more than 40 years ago, in 1979, Kamboj said it was regrettable that work on the issue has nothing substantive to show even after four decades.

"Consequently, the Council still does not reflect the current geopolitical landscape. In contrast, many other major international institutions have made strides to change and adapt. There is simply no reason to leave the Security Council out of this process," India's Permanent Representative to the UN added.

She said that it was high time to bring the Council in line with its Charter responsibility to act on behalf of the entire Membership. This will not be achieved without enhancing the membership in both the categories, she pointed out.

Kamboj continued by pointing out that, as stated in the recent "A Call to Action" document signed by more than 35 UN member states, a diverse number of nations continue to voice their concern with the lack of openness and transparency in the IGN, underlining the need for enhanced working methods and the definition of the applicable rules of procedure to the process.

According to the Kamboj, "We simply cannot allow the IGN (Inter-Governmental Negotiations) process to cocoon itself in perpetuity without letting collective aspirations of the member states to take a definite shape".

She said that the G4 is convinced that the co-chairs would direct the member states in order to give the UNSC reform process fresh energy.

She also believed that the UNSC's oversight of the Inter-Governmental Negotiations discussions would present another chance to finally breathe robust life into a process that hasn't exhibited many indications of life or development in more than four decades.