French President supports India for permanent membership of UN Security Council

New York: French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed strong support for India’s inclusion as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) along with Germany, Japan, Brazil and two African countries.

Addressing the general debate at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday, India time, Mr Macron said, “Germany, Japan, India and Brazil should be permanent members, along with two countries that Africa would nominate to represent it. Newly elected members should also be included.”

The French President stressed the need for reforms within the United Nations to make it more effective and representative, especially in light of the challenges posed by the current composition of the Security Council.

“The UN should not be discarded, but rather reformed to reflect today’s realities,” he said. He said the current Security Council, often blocked by conflicting interests, needed to evolve.

“Is there a better system? I think not. So let’s make these UN bodies more effective, first of all perhaps by making them more representative. That is why France, and I repeat here, is in favour of enlarging the Security Council,” Mr Macron said.

The French president said he hoped “this reform will also make it possible to change working practices, to limit the right of veto in the event of mass crime and to focus on operational decisions necessary to preserve international peace and security. We must have the courage and the audacity to do this and we must pursue this with the current permanent members.” Earlier, Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font also advocated for India’s inclusion, proposing a deadline for reform by the 80th anniversary of the UN to align the UNSC with modern geopolitical realities.

The call for India’s permanent membership has also been reiterated by other global leaders, including US President Joe Biden, who reiterated Washington’s full support for India’s bid during his recent bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Russia also continues to support India’s aspiration for a permanent seat, with the country’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressing the need for greater representation of developing countries on the Council during the ongoing annual UN event.

The growing consensus among world leaders highlights the urgency of reforming the UNSC to reflect the contemporary global order and ensure more inclusive and effective international governance.