Four European Nations Back India’s Permanent UNSC Seat Bid
India’s long-standing campaign for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) received fresh support from four Central European countries at the first Visegrád Group (V4)-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New York.
Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, which together form the V4, expressed their collective support for India’s permanent membership during the meeting held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly. Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár said the four countries agreed that India, as an important country of the Global South and an increasingly significant power in the Indo-Pacific, should have a permanent place at the Security Council.
The announcement adds another group of European countries to the growing international discussion over reforming the Security Council and making its composition more representative of present-day global realities.
India’s Longstanding Case for UN Reform
The UN Security Council currently has 15 members, including five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States — and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. India has served as an elected member eight times, most recently during 2021–2022.
New Delhi has consistently argued that the structure established in 1945 does not fully reflect the political, economic and demographic realities of the contemporary world. India has therefore called for expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories.
India is also part of the G4 grouping with Brazil, Germany and Japan. The four countries coordinate their positions in support of permanent membership and have advocated a broader restructuring of the Security Council. In its 2026 discussions, India reiterated that meaningful reform should include expansion of both categories of membership.
Wider India-V4 Partnership
The V4 meeting was not limited to India’s UNSC aspirations. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar described the first V4-India meeting as a new platform for deeper engagement between India and the four Central European countries.
The two sides discussed strengthening cooperation in areas including technology and innovation, defence, space, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges. India and the V4 countries also agreed to work towards regular meetings of foreign ministers and an annual business forum, creating additional institutional channels for political and economic engagement.
The ministers also exchanged views on major international developments, including the Ukraine conflict and developments in the Gulf region. The discussions reflected the broader scope of India’s engagement with Central Europe, extending beyond traditional diplomatic and economic relations.
The Larger Challenge of Security Council Reform
While support from the V4 countries adds to India’s diplomatic backing, reform of the Security Council remains a complex multilateral process. UN member states continue to differ over the number of additional seats, the distribution of seats among regions and the powers that new permanent members should receive.
The UN’s current reform discussions show broad support for expanding the Council, but there remain significant differences over whether expansion should include new permanent members or focus only on non-permanent seats. The negotiations also cover questions of regional representation and the working methods of the Council.
The question of veto powers is another important part of the negotiations. India, through the G4, has maintained that there should not be a separate category of permanent members with fewer rights and responsibilities than the existing permanent members. At the same time, the G4 has indicated flexibility in discussions concerning the veto as part of negotiations on comprehensive reform.
Growing European Engagement With India
The V4 endorsement comes alongside broader efforts to strengthen India’s engagement with Central and Eastern Europe. The four V4 countries possess significant industrial, technological and economic capabilities, providing opportunities for cooperation in areas such as advanced technology, manufacturing, defence, research and connectivity.
For India, the new V4 format creates an additional platform for engaging collectively with four European partners while also complementing its expanding relationship with the European Union. Regular ministerial-level engagement and a proposed annual business forum could provide greater continuity to this partnership.
The MGMM Outlook
The support extended by Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic for India’s permanent membership of the UN Security Council adds further momentum to India’s longstanding call for meaningful reform of the global body. As an important voice of the Global South and an increasingly significant participant in global affairs, India has consistently highlighted the need for the Security Council to better reflect today’s geopolitical, economic and demographic realities. The backing from the Visegrád Group countries strengthens the growing international recognition of India’s role and adds another collective European voice to the reform discussion.
The first V4-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting also demonstrates that India’s engagement with Central Europe is expanding across several strategic and economic areas. Cooperation in technology, innovation, defence, space, connectivity and business can create additional opportunities for stronger India-Europe partnerships. While Security Council reform remains a complex multilateral process requiring broad agreement among UN member states, continued diplomatic support and deeper international partnerships contribute to India’s efforts to advance its position and participate more actively in shaping discussions on the future of global governance.
(Sources: Firstpost, India Today, Business Standard)
Comments