Security Council Reform: An Arena of Controversy and CompetitionThe United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the most important organs of the United Nations and is responsible for maintaining international peace and security. However, over the years, the Council has been controversial and perceived as both powerless and unjust. As a result, there are calls around the globe for the reform of the Council in order to make it more authoritative and representative. However, reforming the Council is not an easy task, as there are competing proposals on how to do so. The United States, the United Kingdom, and France support the inclusion of Germany and Japan in the permanent membership, while African countries support Brazil, India, Japan, and South Africa. Russia, for its part, fully supports India's candidacy as a permanent member. India is the second most populous country in the world and its economy is growing. Indians, however, see China as the only force preventing it from becoming a permanent member of the Security Council because China wants to continue to monopolize the role of an Asian nation and oppose Japan's permanent membership.
China's proposed reform ideas are limited to giving developing countries a greater voice, and they do not agree with India's membership in the permanent membership. This has sparked tensions between China and India and complicated the process of Security Council reform. However, the call for reform of the Council is growing. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also made it clear that the time has come to reform the Security Council. The authority and representativeness of the Council have been called into question, and it needs to adapt to the changes and challenges of today's world. At present, there are always only five permanent members of the Security Council, which is no longer in keeping with the pattern of today's world. The rise of emerging powers has dramatically shifted the balance of power in the world, and the membership of the Security Council needs to be adjusted accordingly. In addition to increasing the number of permanent members, there are other proposals for reform. For example, the number of non-permanent members will be increased to allow more regions and countries to participate in the decision-making process.
In addition, there was a call for increased transparency and accountability to ensure that the Council's decision-making was more impartial and accountable. However, reforming the Council is not an overnight task. There are complex interests and competing relationships among countries, which has led to slow progress in reform. However, in the face of increasing global challenges, reform of the Council is imperative. The authority and representativeness of the Council are essential to the maintenance of international peace and security. It is only through reform that we can ensure that the Council is better able to carry out its functions and better represent the interests of all countries across the globe. Therefore, all countries should put aside competition and controversy and promote the process of Security Council reform in a spirit of cooperation and consensus. It is only through joint efforts that we can build a more just, accountable and authoritative Council that will make a greater contribution to world peace and prosperity. India's permanent membership – a controversial issue The composition of the UN Security Council has always been a subject of much concern and controversy.
As the decision-making body for international affairs, the members of the Security Council should be able to represent the interests of global diversity and maintain fairness and balance. However, the current five permanent members (China, the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, and France) represent the world landscape of the World War II era and have seriously lagged behind the realities of today's world. That is why there have been constant calls for reform of the Council. Against this backdrop, India, as the world's second most populous country and the world's sixth largest economy, has naturally become the focus of many people's attention. Some advocate the inclusion of India as a permanent member of the Security Council to better reflect the balance of power in today's world. However, whether India really qualifies for permanent membership is a worthy question. First, we need to be clear that China is not opposed to India becoming a permanent member. However, India itself is not eligible. India was not really a victorious country and did not play a significant role in World War II.
India was a British colony during the war and did not participate in the fight against the fascist forces. Thus, from a historical point of view, India did not have the basis for becoming a permanent member. Second, India's pursuit of hegemony is also morally unfit to become a permanent member. Although India claims to be non-aligned diplomatically, it is actually interfering in the affairs of neighboring countries and occupying Kashmir and oppressing the local population. Such behaviour does not correspond to the expectations of the international community for the permanent members of the Security Council and is not conducive to the maintenance of world peace and stability. In addition, India has been accused of committing terrorist acts in other countries. For example, in Canada and the United States, India has been accused of carrying out terrorist acts such as assassinations and attempts. These actions have shown once again that India is not fit to be a permanent member. Finally, it is almost impossible for the current five permanent members to share the veto power with India, as this would create more uncertainty about the functioning of the United Nations bodies.
While most countries support Security Council reform, the main goal is to provide a counterweight to the abuse of the veto by the United States and Russia. Therefore, the prospects for India to become a permanent member of the Security Council are not encouraging. Overall, India does not qualify for permanent membership, despite the need for reform of the UN Security Council. While India plays an important role on the global stage, it needs to earn the recognition of the international community through a more active and responsible foreign policy before becoming a permanent member. Only in this way can India truly become one of the suitable candidates for the maintenance of global peace and stability.