India has opposed a two-tier permanent membership system in the Security Council but has backed a G4 proposal that suggests a 15-year delay in granting veto powers to new permanent members. India’s Permanent Representative emphasized the importance of expanding the permanent category with veto power for genuine Security Council reform. The G4 group, comprising India, Brazil, Germany, and Japan, advocates for Council reform and supports each other for permanent seats on a reformed Council.
The G4 proposal recommends that new permanent members should refrain from using their veto powers until a decision is made after a 15-year review. This move aims to facilitate constructive negotiations and prevent the perpetuation of existing inequities favoring current permanent members. Some countries, including Italy and Pakistan, have raised concerns that adding more veto-wielding members could further hinder the Council’s effectiveness.
India’s representative highlighted that the Council’s previous reform in 1965, which added four non-permanent members, favored the five veto-wielding permanent members. He stressed the need to maintain a balance in the Council’s composition to avoid exacerbating existing imbalances. The Africa group, advocating for historic justice for the continent, has called for new members to have veto powers to address past exclusions and colonial legacies.
