'India Will Get Permanent Seat But...': EAM S Jaishankar On New Delhi's UNSC Membership

EAM Jaishankar said that there is a feeling in the world that India should get the permanent membership of the UNSC.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. ( Image Source :PTI )

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday exuded confidence that India will definitely get permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council but the country will have to work harder this time for it. He also said that there is a feeling in the world that it should get the position. The EAM was speaking during an interaction with intellectuals in Gujarat's Rajkot city and was asked by the audience on India's chances of becoming the permanent member of the world body.

Jaishankar said that the United Nations was formed around 80 years ago, five nations -- China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States -- decided among themselves to become permanent members of its security council. At that time, there were a total of around 50 independent countries in the world, which has over time increased to around 193, he stated.

"But these five nations have kept their control, and it is strange that you have to ask them to give us their consent for a change. A few agree, a few others put forward their position with honesty, while others do something from behind," he said, as quoted by PTI. This has been going on for several years, the Minister said.

"But now, there is a feeling across the world that this should change, and India should get a permanent seat. I see this feeling increasing every year," he said.

Nothing Big Is Ever Achieved Without Hard Work: Jaishankar 

The EAM assetred that India will definetly become a permanent UNSC member and said that nothing big is ever achieved without hard work. "We will have to work hard, and this time we will have to work even harder," he said, as quoted by PTI. The Union minister said India, Japan, Germany and Egypt have put forward a proposal together before the UN and he believes this will take the matter a bit forward.

"But we must build pressure, and when this pressure increases...There is a feeling in the world that the UN has weakened. There was a deadlock in the UN on the Ukraine war and no consensus was reached in the UN regarding Gaza. I think as this feeling increases, our chances of getting a permanent seat will increase," he said, as quoted by PTI.