In a significant diplomatic development, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced his support for India’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Starmer’s endorsement, made during his address at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly on Thursday, aligns with similar calls from other world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, to reform the structure of the UNSC.

Starmer emphasized the need for the Security Council to evolve into a more representative body. “The Security Council has to change to become a more representative body, willing to act – not paralysed by politics,” he said. The UK Prime Minister also called for permanent African representation, alongside new permanent seats for Brazil, India, Japan, and Germany, and an increase in the number of elected non-permanent members.

The Security Council, currently composed of 15 members, includes five permanent members with veto power – the United States, China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom – and ten non-permanent members serving two-year terms. The Council plays a central role in maintaining international peace and security, with powers that include investigating conflicts, establishing peacekeeping missions, and imposing sanctions.

Starmer’s call echoes sentiments expressed earlier in the week by French President Emmanuel Macron, who also advocated for India’s inclusion in the UNSC. “Let’s make the UN more efficient. We need to make it more representative, and that’s why France is in favour of the Security Council being expanded,” Macron declared during his speech to the General Assembly.

India, alongside Brazil, Germany, and Japan – collectively known as the G4 – has been a longstanding advocate for UNSC reform, urging for the inclusion of more permanent members to better reflect the current geopolitical landscape. India has actively participated in the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on UNSC reform, pushing for a more democratic and effective council.

During an open debate on leadership for peace, Indian diplomat Tanmaya Lal reiterated India’s call for urgent reforms, pointing out that the existing structure, established over eight decades ago, is outdated and ineffective in addressing contemporary global conflicts. Lal emphasized the need for a UNSC that is “representative, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic, and accountable.”

While countries like the United States and France have backed India’s bid, China remains a notable opponent of the proposal, complicating efforts to achieve consensus on the reforms. The issue of equitable representation in the UNSC has been a subject of debate at the UN since 1979, but calls for reform have intensified in recent years amid growing global conflicts and security challenges.