By R Anil Kumar
New York, April 20, 2026. India on Monday, April 20, called for sweeping reforms in global financial systems and the United Nations Security Council, emphasising the need to better reflect the aspirations of the Global South during key discussions at the UN Headquarters.
In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Secretary (West) Sibi George delivered India’s national statement at the General Debate of the 2026 ECOSOC Forum on financing for development follow-up.
“Secretary (West) @AmbSibiGeorge delivered India’s national statement at the General Debate of the 2026 ECOSOC Forum on financing for development follow-up at UN Headquarters,” the post said.
Highlighting structural challenges in global development financing, India stressed the urgent need for systemic reforms.
“Secretary (West) underscored the need for a fair, inclusive, and development-oriented global financial system to bridge the $4 trillion SDG financing gap. He also highlighted that reforming international financial institutions (IFIs), enhancing the voice of the Global South, and deploying digital public infrastructure are key to delivering on the Sevilla Commitment,” it added.
In a separate engagement, India also pushed for long-pending reforms of the United Nations Security Council during the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) meeting at the UN.
“Secretary (West) @AmbSibiGeorge delivered the national statement at the IGN meeting on UN Security Council reforms at the UN Headquarters,” the post noted.
India emphasised that the current structure of the Security Council does not adequately represent developing nations, particularly in its permanent membership.
“He highlighted the need for greater representation of the Global South, particularly in the permanent category. He underlined the similarities between India’s approach to UN Security Council reforms and the African model,” the post said.
Earlier, India underscored its continued engagement with the United Nations, with a particular focus on UN peacekeeping, during a high-level interaction between MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George and Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, at the UN Headquarters in New York.
In a post on X on Tuesday, April 21, India’s Permanent Mission to the UN said, “Secretary (West) Sibi George met Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations. Both had a productive discussion on various topics, with a particular focus on UN peacekeeping.”
According to the official UN India website, India has been among the largest and most consistent troop-contributing countries to UN peacekeeping, with more than 275,000 Indian personnel having served under the UN flag since 1948.
