India has firmly opposed proposals to introduce religion and faith as criteria for representation in a reformed United Nations Security Council (UNSC), stating that such suggestions undermine the long-standing principle of regional representation. Speaking at the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) meeting on the Council’s size and regional representation, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador P Harish, emphasized that these new criteria run counter to established norms and appear to obstruct progress in UNSC reforms.

Harish criticized arguments claiming that an expanded Security Council would be inefficient, calling them tactics to delay meaningful reform. He asserted that a reformed Council with updated working methods and accountability could effectively address global challenges.

Harish also stressed that any credible reform must include expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories; otherwise, it only reinforces the current imbalance.

Speaking on behalf of the G4 nations—Brazil, Germany, Japan, and India—Harish reiterated their shared stance that religious affiliation as a criterion is contrary to UN practices and complicates negotiations. The G4 argued that the outdated structure of the UNSC must reflect current global realities.

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