'Shouldn't be an instrument of narrow political expediency': India calls for veto powers for all UN Security Council members amid reform push

India has yet again called for comprehensive reforms in the United Nations Security Council, with emphasis on expanding the right to "veto" to all UNSC member states.

"Limiting the veto cannot be separated from the questions of categories of membership, regional representation, size and working methods. We need to move forward on all five clusters together. India reiterates its call for a comprehensive approach towards Security Council reforms," said India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish.

The diplomat added that the privilege of the veto carries an immense burden of responsibility that requires restraint.

"India has always maintained that the veto, which is right now a prerogative only of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, is a responsibility that must be exercised with great restraint, especially on matters bearing upon the maintenance of international peace and security. It should not be an instrument of narrow political expediency," Parvathaneni said.

Citing the historical trajectory of the veto's usage, Parvathaneni highlighted how the veto's disproportionate exercise by a handful of members has "undermined the credibility of the Council."

"The record of the Veto is stark. Over the life of this Organisation, the veto has been exercised 331 times on around 200 resolutions. We also note that two out of the five permanent members have not exercised a veto for over three and a half decades, and most of the vetos or threats of vetos have emanated from only three of the P5. The Veto Initiative of 2022 was seen as a harbinger of change, by mandating a UNGA debate every time a veto is cast, to fix accountability. However, the actual record of the large number of vetos cast since the UNGAR 76/262 was adopted tells a contrary story," the envoy said.

He added that addressing the veto power in isolation is "ineffective," and called for text-based negotiations to cover the reform.

"Limiting the veto cannot be separated from the questions of categories of membership, regional representation, size and working methods. We need to move forward on all five clusters together. India reiterates its call for a comprehensive approach towards Security Council reforms," he said

The envoy added that India remains aligned with the Common Africa Position (CAP). As per the official website, CAP refers to the unified policy adopted by the African Union to "speak with a single voice on critical global and continental issues."

India also called for the extension of the veto power to all member states of the UNSC, saying that “fairness and justice demand that all permanent members enjoy the same rights and responsibilities. A new category of permanent members, with or without the veto, would only further complicate a discussion that is already difficult.”