India and the other members of G4 on Friday reiterated their demand for urgently needed reform of the UN's Security Council to include more members in both permanent and non-permanent categories.
The other three members are Brazil, Germany and Japan, and the entire group wants to be on the permanent council arguing that the Security Council must reflect the new and changed world order.
The G4 foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Friday and demanded "urgent reforms" (read expansion) of the council in a joint statement.
The Security Council has five permanent members, also called P 5 or the Big 5: the US, the UK, Russia, France and China. And there are 10 non-permanent members each elected for a term of two years.
India is almost certain to be elected to the council as a non-permanent member later this year. But what it wants, is to be a permanent member.
And it has been actively seeking the help of the US, which has so far not come out openly in support. Russia, UK and France are understood to be in the bag already.
{{/usCountry}}And it has been actively seeking the help of the US, which has so far not come out openly in support. Russia, UK and France are understood to be in the bag already.
{{/usCountry}}Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao raised the matter in her talks with US state department officials during her visit here last week to prepare the ground for President Barack Obama's visit in November.
The Indians are hoping to get the Big Yes possibly during President Obama's visit – as the one big-ticket announcement to make the visit a success.
The reforms are needed "in order to render the body more representative, legitimate, effective and responsive to the realities of the international community in the 21st century", the statement said.
While "noting with satisfaction" the support for reforms among the member countries for expanding both the categories of members, the G4 also asked for a country from Africa to be permanent member.
But the reforms have already become quite contentious with a group of countries called United for Consensus, who are opposing the expansion of the Security Council.