United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres is “very supportive” of reforming the UN security council (UNSC) to better reflect current global realities, with India emerging as a pivotal voice in the multilateral system, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told news agency ANI.Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing UN general assembly session in New York, Dujarric said, “The secretary general is very supportive of the reform of the security council to make it more representative of the world of 2025, as opposed to the world of 1945.”However, he clarified that the final decision on which countries would gain permanent membership rests with the UN member states.“Now, which countries will sit on a revitalised security council, which countries will have a permanent seat, that will be up to member states to decide,” he added.India has long sought permanent membership in an expanded UNSC. Last year, external affairs minister S Jaishankar told Parliament that India “accords the highest priority” to this goal. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, he said, “India strongly believes that it has all the credentials to be a permanent member of a reformed and expanded UNSC that reflects contemporary global realities.”Dujarric also underlined India’s strong contributions to the UN system. “India is a very important part of the UN system. They are a great supporter of multilateralism. The secretary general has very good relations with the Indian government. We have a lot of Indian colleagues who work here with us. India is an important voice within the UN system,” he said.Reform of multilateral institutions has been a key theme at this year’s UNGA, which coincides with the UN’s 80th anniversary and several high-level meetings, including the climate ambition summit and an event marking 30 years of the Beijing Declaration on women’s rights.Responding to a separate question on rising global protectionism, Dujarric expressed concern over growing trade barriers among major economies. He reiterated the UN’s position, stating, “In a trade war, there are no winners,” and pointed to the wider impact such policies have on global development and economic stability.
