India Slams UN Security Council Reform Paper, Demands Text-Based Negotiations

Last Updated:June 16, 2026, 12:30 IST

India asserted that negotiations should be conducted through a formal written text, as is the practice in other multilateral negotiations.

India renewed its demand for substantive reforms of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), calling for text-based negotiations under the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) framework. Speaking at a meeting of the IGN process on Security Council reforms on Monday, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Parvathaneni Harish, asserted that negotiations on one of the UN’s most important reform agendas should be conducted through a formal written text, as is the practice in other multilateral negotiations.

“The IGN cannot be fundamentally different from other UN processes, wherein negotiations are held based on a text," Harish said, underlining India’s long-standing position that the reform process must move beyond informal discussions and towards structured negotiations.

A key point of contention raised by India was the Elements Paper’s treatment of permanent membership in the Security Council. Harish objected to the document’s suggestion that the concept of “permanency" requires further clarification and discussion, arguing that the UN Charter already provides a clear distinction between permanent and non-permanent members.

“The UN Charter is very clear on this question and there is no room for ambiguity. Article 23 clearly categorises the UNSC members into two: permanent and non-permanent," he said.

India also argued that several influential groups within the UN system, including the African Group, the G4 and the L69 Group, already recognise permanent membership in line with the provisions of the Charter and do not consider its definition a matter of dispute.

The Indian envoy further criticised the document for failing to adequately capture the widespread support for increasing African representation in the Security Council. Referring to previous IGN discussions on the African model, Harish said there was broad backing among member states for addressing the continent’s underrepresentation in the Council.

He also expressed concern that the Elements Paper understates support for expanding the permanent category of membership. According to India, the document refers only to “a significant number of delegations" favouring expansion, despite a majority of member states having publicly endorsed the idea through national statements or participation in groupings such as the G4, L69 and CARICOM.

“The support of a majority for expansion in the permanent category has been reduced to ‘a significant number of delegations’ in the Elements Paper," Harish said, adding that the document does not accurately reflect positions expressed during IGN deliberations.

India has consistently argued that the current composition of the Security Council reflects the geopolitical realities of 1945 rather than those of the 21st century. New Delhi maintains that reforms are necessary to make the Council more representative, effective and credible, particularly by increasing the participation of developing countries, Africa and emerging powers.

As a member of the G4 grouping alongside Brazil, Germany and Japan, India has long campaigned for expansion of both the permanent and non-permanent categories of the Security Council. It argues that a more representative Council would strengthen the legitimacy of the UN’s decision-making processes and better address contemporary global challenges.

The latest intervention comes amid renewed discussions at the United Nations on advancing Security Council reforms, an issue that has remained under negotiation for decades despite broad acknowledgment among member states that the Council’s structure requires updating.

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