India’s Consul General in New York Pramathesh Rath, left, with Congress Party Member of Parliament Anand Sharma at a reception at the Consulate General of India in New York, on Oct 14. Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed, center, was also present at the event. (Photo: Mohammed Jaffer-SnapsIndia)

UNITED NATIONS: India has called for comprehensive reform of the Security Council, including expansion of membership to make it representative of today’s world. Making a strong case for India’s permanent seat in the Council, Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed said the body must have the “critical mass” to respond to the democratic aspirations of member states and to act accordingly.

He was making a statement on a report of the Council on the “question of equitable representation on and increase in membership” of the body at the 59th session of the U.N. General Assembly on Oct. 11.

Ahamed expressed India’s readiness “to undertake its responsibility as a global player” in an expanded Security Council and said it would work together with Brazil, Germany and Japan and a candidate from Africa to make the body more “representative, legitimate and effective.”

“Without the inclusion and presence of developing countries in an expanded Security Council, all other reform elements aimed at restoring the authority of the General Assembly would be unavailing,” he added.

Ahamed called for more transparency in the functioning of the Council, including in schedulingand public meetings, and said lack of this could give rise to misgivings among the members and perpetuate an impression that it was acting as “an entity separate from the wider membership in representation and intention.”