India wants UNSC club expanded from the current 15 states to 25 states-

India wants UNSC club expanded to 25 states

TNN | Aug 11, 2011, 04.57AM IST

NEW DELHI: Minister of state for foreign affairs Preneet Kaur reiterated on Wednesday that India wants United Nations' Security Council (UNSC) membership expanded from the current 15 states to 25. India in collaboration with Brazil, Japan and Germany - together known as the G-4 - has proposed expansion of the UNSC membership from 15 to 25, with the addition of six permanent and four non-permanent members.

"India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations had in a statement, at a meeting of the UN General Assembly plenary on the intergovernmental negotiations on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Council on March 2, 2011, clearly stated India's views regarding expansion of the Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories," Kaur told the Lok Sabha.

There are a range of proposals, suggesting an increase in the numbers of permanent and non-permanent members of the Security Council. "During the course of intergovernmental negotiations, the proposals for expansion of the Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories have commanded the most support among UN member states," she added.

The government has been actively seeking support from all UN member states for India's candidature for permanent membership in an expanded UNSC. As a result of these efforts, Kaur said, there has been a steady increase of support for India's candidature. Both India and the US are actively involved in the ongoing negotiations on SC reform in the UN and seek an expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories of the Council's membership.