US backs India for permanent UNSC seat, Quad leaders echo similar sentiment

The United States has extended its support to India's call for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), after which the Quad leaders (US, India, Japan and Australia) also emphasised the need for comprehensive reform of the UN body in their joint statement.

The support was extended after bilateral talkswere held between US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Quad summit in Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday (Sep 21).

"PresidentBidenshared with Prime Minister Modi that the United States supports initiatives to reform global institutions to reflect India's important voice, including permanent membership for India in a reformedUN Security Council," said the White House, in a statement.

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For the past several years, India has been eyeing a permanent seat in the UNSC while underlining the country's global influence, its contributions to peacekeeping missions and its path to being the largest democracy in the world.

Quad issues joint statement underlying need for reform in UNSC

Quad members - India, Australia, Japan, and the United States - signed the 'Wilmington Declaration,' in which they underscored the need to reformthe UN Security Council (UNSC) to make it more representative, inclusive, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic, and accountable.

The members underlined the need to expand the UNSC and ensure more representation from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

"Together, with our global and regional partners, we continue to support international institutions and initiatives that underpin global peace, prosperity and sustainable development. We reiterate our unwavering support for the UN Charter and the three pillars of the UN system," read the joint declaration.

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"We will reform the UN Security Council, recognizing the urgent need to make it more representative, inclusive, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic and accountable through expansion in permanent and non-permanent categories of membership of the UN Security Council. This expansion of permanent seats should include representation for Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean in a reformed Security Council," it stated.

Biden had extended support to India's call for permanent membership in the UN Security Council in September last year during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Delhi.

Biden and Modi had issued a joint statement in which the former welcomed India's candidature of a non-permanent seat in UNSC in 2028-29.

(With inputs from agencies)