India Advocates Veto Power for All UN Security Council Members

India has reiterated its call for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), particularly advocating for an expansion of veto rights to all member states. During a session held at the United Nations General Assembly, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, emphasised that discussions regarding the veto should not be isolated from other essential reform areas. He stated, "Limiting the veto cannot be separated from the questions of categories of membership, regional representation, size and working methods. We need to move forward on all five clusters together." Currently, veto power is held exclusively by five permanent members: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China. The Indian diplomat highlighted concerns regarding the disproportionate use of the veto by a minority of nations, which he argued compromises the credibility of the UNSC. Parvathaneni noted, "The record of the veto is stark. Over the life of this Organisation, the veto has been exercised 331 times on around 200 resolutions." He also pointed out that two of the five permanent members have not utilised their veto power in over thirty-five years, underscoring the infrequency with which the veto is debated in the Council. The Ambassador further outlined that a reform which includes a new category of permanent positions without vetos would only reinforce existing inequalities. "New long-term seats without veto powers would create second-class members and perpetuate inequity. All permanent members, including new ones, must enjoy equal rights," he argued. India's alignment with the Common African Position was also mentioned, which calls for equal rights for all permanent members of a reformed Council. Parvathaneni stressed the importance of text-based negotiations to ensure that reform measures progress effectively. He stated that addressing the veto in isolation would not yield significant change and underlined the necessity of a cohesive approach to discuss various aspects of reform regarding the UNSC. The suggestion made by India reflects a long-standing position advocating for reform that mirrors the current geopolitical realities rather than those established during the post-Second World War order. With calls being made for more inclusive discussions, India is positioning itself as a strong advocate for ensuring that reforms in the UNSC are comprehensive and equitable for all member states.