India pushes for urgent UN Security Council reforms at open debate

India called for urgent reforms in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) at an open debate on its working methods on Wednesday. Addressing the meeting, Ambassador Yojna Patel, Charge d'Affaires at India's Permanent Mission to the UN, said the need to reform the Council is "more pronounced and pressing than ever before." She argued that the world of 1945 has changed, and the composition of the Council must reflect present-day realities, with greater representation for the Global South.

India sought expansion in both categories of UNSC membership through text-based negotiations with clear timelines. Patel also raised concerns about delays in appointing chairs of the Council's subsidiary bodies, calling for a "definitive and non-negotiable" timeline. She urged that non-permanent members have equal access to documents and that troop-contributing countries be part of decision-making on peacekeeping.

India specifically warned against using Council membership for narrow political interests, saying the sanctions listing and de-listing process must be transparent and objective. "Presence in the Security Council must not be instrumentalised to legitimise terrorists by attempting to de-list them," Patel said. The Economic Times reported the broad reform demands, while India Today highlighted the sanctions issue, noting that China has previously blocked Indian proposals to designate Pakistan-based terrorists.