Religious Parameters Against Regional Representation At Security Council: India

India has called out attempts to introduce new parameters such as religion and faith as the basis for representation in a reformed UN Security Council, asserting that this runs completely counter to the accepted basis of regional representation.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador P Harish told the Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) meeting on 'Size of the Future Council and cluster discussion on Regional Representation' that those opposed to text-based negotiations do not seek progress on UNSC reforms.

"Attempts to introduce new parameters, such as religion and faith, as the basis for representation in a reformed Council runs completely counter to regional representation, which has been the accepted basis for representation in the UN," Harish said in remarks made in his national capacity.

He added that the argument that an expanded and reformed Security Council would not be efficient is an attempt to stall real reforms.

"A reformed Council, with appropriate working methods and accountability mechanisms, would be equipped to function effectively and deliver meaningfully on pressing global issues," he said.

India asserted that a consolidated model that does not cover expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories, would not achieve the purpose of reform, further entrenching the status quo.

Before making the remarks in his national capacity, Harish delivered a statement on behalf of the G4 nations of Brazil, Germany, Japan and India, in which the grouping underscored that regional representation is an accepted practice that has stood the test of time in the UN.

"Proposals to introduce new parameters, such as religious affiliation run counter to established UN practice and add considerable complexity to an already difficult discussion," the G4 said.

The group noted that the existing UN architecture is from a different era, one that no longer exists and the current geopolitical realities warrant a review of this architecture.

"Those who do not endorse real reforms that reflect contemporary realities fall on the wrong side of history, which is detrimental to all of us," Harish said in the statement on behalf of the G4 nations.

Outlining the broad contours of the G4 model for UNSC reform, a model that was presented and elaborated by the grouping during the IGN meetings in 2024, Harish said that the Security Council membership needs to be increased from the current 15 to 25 or 26, with a reformed Council consisting of 11 permanent members and 14 or 15 non-permanent members.

Currently, the powerful UN organ consists of five permanent members - China, France, Russia, the UK and the US.

The remaining 10 members are elected to sit at the horse-shoe table for two-year terms as non-permanent members.

India had last sat in the Council as a non-permanent member in 2021-22.

The G4 nations reiterated that any reform not accompanied by expansion of both permanent and non-permanent categories is incomplete in the view of the broad membership.

"Member States which subscribe to the expansion of only the non-permanent category ignore the existing imbalances in the permanent category fully. Such an approach fails to address non-representation and underrepresentation in this category," the grouping said adding that it does not address the legitimate aspirations of the developing world, Africa in particular, and is not aligned with the majority view, including those of L69 and the Common African Position.

"Adding only non-permanent members would hardly change the power dynamics in the Council and, thus, likely further the power of the permanent members," G4 said.

Further, the group of four stressed that the path to achieve real reforms just like any other UN process is text-based negotiations, involving clearly defined timelines and milestones.

With the Pact for The Future last year recognising the urgency of this reform process, the G4 encouraged Member States and Regional Groups to submit further models of reforms in order to facilitate text-based negotiations.

"We invite the Chair to start text-based negotiations now, ideally by the end of the current IGN," they said.

G4 further underlined that a decision on Member States that would become permanent members of a reformed Council is a decision to be taken by the General Assembly in a democratic manner.

The Uniting for Consensus (UfC) Group comprising Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Malta, Mexico, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, San Marino, Spain, Turkiye and Italy, reiterated its position of increasing the number of Security Council seats exclusively in the non-permanent category. UfC proposes a 27-member Security Council, without any increase in the number of permanent members, which currently stands at five.

Bahrain, delivering a statement on behalf of the Arab group, reiterated the demand for an Arab representation with full privileges in the permanent seat category in an expanded Council.

"We also reaffirm that just representation requires proportionate Arab representation in the non-permanent seat category within the expanded Security Council," the Arab group said adding that its demands are based on objective criteria, namely the population size in the Arab countries and the number of Arab country members of the UN as well as the fact that many agenda items and issues before the Council relate to the Arab region.

"This requires equitable and proportionate Arab representation within the expanded Security Council," the Arab group said.

France reiterated its support for India to sit in the Council as a permanent member. "We are in favour of granting two permanent seats to African states as well as for Brazil, India, Germany and Japan for the permanent seats that would be created for their geographical groups," France's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Jay Dharmadhikari said.

"France considers it legitimate for future permanent members to request all the prerogatives associated with this status, including the right of veto," said Dharmadhikari. 

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