‘India An Important Voice Within UN System’: UN Spokesperson Says Secretary General ‘Very Supportive’ of Reform in Security Council

By R Anil Kumar

New York. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed strong support for reforming the Security Council to better reflect the world of 2025, with India emerging as a key voice in the multilateral system, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Dujarric said India plays a pivotal role in the UN and stressed the need for organisational reforms to enhance effectiveness and representation. He added that decisions on permanent membership would be made by member states.

“The Secretary-General is very supportive of the reform of the Security Council to make it more representative of the world of 2025, as opposed to the world of 1945. Which countries will sit on a revitalised Council, and which will have permanent seats, will be decided by member states,” Dujarric said.

He described reform as a key theme this year, aimed at making the UN “nimbler, more effective, and more representative of the world of 2025.”

Dujarric also praised India as “a very important part of the UN system” and “a strong supporter of multilateralism,” noting India’s significant presence within the organisation.

Last year, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar told the Rajya Sabha that securing permanent membership for India in an expanded UNSC remains a top priority. “India strongly believes it has all the credentials to be a permanent member of a reformed and expanded UN Security Council that reflects contemporary global realities,” he said.

On rising global protectionism, Dujarric expressed concern over tariffs and trade barriers, noting: “In a trade war, there are no winners,” and highlighted their implications for economic stability and development, including for countries like India.

This year’s UNGA coincides with high-level events, including the UN’s 80th anniversary, a Climate Ambition Summit, and a meeting marking 30 years of the Beijing Declaration on women’s rights.

The United Nations has reaffirmed its focus on institutional reform, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressing strong support for revamping the Security Council to align with contemporary global realities.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, speaking during the UN General Assembly in New York, emphasised that reforms are central to making the body more effective, representative, and adaptive to the world of 2025 rather than being tethered to the structures established in 1945.

While reiterating that the final decision on granting permanent membership rests with member states, Dujarric highlighted India’s crucial role in the multilateral system, praising its consistent commitment to multilateralism, active contributions across UN platforms, and strong working relationship with the Secretary-General.

He underscored India’s stature as an important voice within the UN and acknowledged the large presence of Indian professionals in the organisation.

This acknowledgement comes amid India’s long-standing diplomatic effort to secure permanent membership in an expanded Security Council, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reiterating in Parliament that New Delhi accords the “highest priority” to this goal.

India maintains that its size, global economic weight, peacekeeping contributions, democratic credentials, and leadership in South-South cooperation fully justify its inclusion as a permanent member.

Beyond the question of Council reform, Dujarric also addressed growing concerns on the UN’s economic agenda, warning against the disruptions caused by escalating tariff measures and protectionist trade barriers among major economies, which he cautioned harm nations like India and have far-reaching repercussions on global development and stability.

This year’s UNGA sessions are particularly significant, coinciding with commemorations of the organisation’s 80th anniversary, the Climate Ambition Summit convened by the Secretary-General to galvanise action on the sustainability agenda, and the 30-year review of the landmark Beijing Declaration on women’s rights.

The confluence of these events, combined with the reform debate, reflects both the urgency and complexity of reshaping the UN system at a time of heightened geopolitical competition, climate imperatives, and economic turbulence.

India’s recognition as a central pillar of multilateralism and an emerging global leader highlights its growing weight in shaping the discourse on the UN’s future structure, functions, and global outreach.