India Demands Comprehensive UN Security Council Reform in New York

The Government of India called for comprehensive reforms of the United Nations on July 15, 2026, arguing that the current global governance architecture is obsolete. Speaking at a Ministerial Roundtable in New York during an informal meeting of the General Assembly, India's Permanent Representative, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, described the UN Security Council as an 80-year-old structure designed for the 1940s that is ill-equipped for contemporary challenges.

Parvathaneni stated that the Security Council's inability to intervene meaningfully in global conflicts has led to a decline in public confidence and a failure to reduce human suffering. He criticized reform negotiations for becoming an endless cycle of prepared statements and noted that key goals of the Pact for the Future regarding peacekeeping and gender equality have largely remained on paper. While expressing some reservations about specific provisions of the Pact, India stated its support for the agreement in a constructive spirit.

Beyond the Security Council, India urged for the revitalization of the General Assembly, a stronger role for the Economic and Social Council, and a more representative international financial architecture to support the Global South. These demands follow a July 14 announcement by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar launching India's official campaign for a non-permanent Security Council seat for the 2028-29 term.