UNITED STATES: In a surprising move, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has thrown his weight behind India's longstanding aspiration for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Musk, currently the world's richest individual, expressed disbelief at India, the most populous country globally, being excluded from the council's permanent membership.
It was established after World War II on January 17, 1946, with the aim of maintaining international peace and security. The council has five permanent members known as the "P5" – the US, Russia, France, the United Kingdom and China, the latter of which is the biggest obstacle in India's bid for a permanent seat India hailed UN reforms, and spoke of the need for broader representation reflecting contemporary global realities.
India has served as a non-permanent member on eight occasions – in 1950, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1984, 1991, 2011, and 2020. Despite multiple attempts, India's push for a permanent seat has faced historical setbacks. In 1949, the US offered support in exchange for India's cooperation against the Soviet Union, but then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru declined, endorsing China's entry instead. A second offer came in 1955 from the Soviet Union, which Jawaharlal Nehru also rejected.
The current system has not changed since 1965, and any change requires an amendment to the original UN Charter, signed in 1945. To get a permanent seat, the country needs the support of two-thirds of the UN General Assembly and all P5 countries. The hurdle is that each of the P5 nations has veto power, and one party can veto the proposal even if the other four disagree While the US, Russia, France and the UK supported India’s bid, China has consistently opposed the proposal.
This opposition frustrated India’s efforts to join the exclusive permanent membership group. After P5, the United Nations Constituent Assembly consists of ten non-permanent members, elected by the General Assembly of the United Nations for two-year terms. Selection criteria include contributions to international peace and security, financial and military support for peace operations, leadership on regional security issues, and geographic equity.
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