President of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis

President of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis, acknowledged India's significant role in the United Nations, describing it as a "mature, highly respected member" and a leader in various aspects.

He also expressed optimism about India's potential to secure a permanent seat on the Security Council, recognizing the nation's credibility and influence within the General Assembly.

The UNGA President was addressing a press conference in the national capital on Wednesday when he was questioned on the world's largest democracy's absence from the security council.

Francis expressed concerns about the outdated structure of the Security Council, which he believes fails to reflect the current geopolitical realities.

"The Security Council of the UN as it currently exists harks back to a period in world history that no longer exists. Since then, the world has changed radically," remarked Francis, highlighting the council's inability to make crucial decisions for international peace and security, often due to geopolitical influences leading to the use of the veto.

"The fact of the matter is that the council has, in recent years, been progressively unable to take the decisions necessary in order to assist and support the strengthening of international peace and security. Largely for geopolitical reasons. The geopolitics, the global dynamics of the geopolitics, get imported into the council and that results invariably in the use of the veto by one or the other party," he added.

On India's inclusion in the UNSC, the UNGA President said, "India is a mature, highly respected member of the United Nations. It is a leader in many ways. And I'm sure that that fact is not lost on the members of the General Assembly."

"So I wish the government and people of India every success in their quest to assume membership of the council permanently. Whether that occurs or not will be a matter for the members to determine," he also said

India has long sought a permanent seat on the Security Council to better represent the interests of the developing world. The nation's quest has gained momentum with support from influential figures like Dennis Francis, who believes in India's capability to contribute positively to global peace and security.

India has been a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for eight terms (16 years). India is a member of the G4, a group of nations that back each other to seek permanent membership in the UNSC. The countries advocate for reform in the UNSC.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his France visit in July 2023, made a strong pitch for India's permanent membership in the UN Security Council, saying the primary UN body cannot claim to be speaking for the world when its most populous country and the largest democracy is not a permanent member. (ANI)