New Delhi, India (CU)_ According to a joint statement released by India and France following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, France reaffirmed its commitment to support India on its request for permanent membership in a reformed United Nations Security Council and to New Delhi’s admission into the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
India has been at the front line of efforts at the United Nations to press for urgent, long-overdue Security Council reform, highlighting its rightful role at the UN high table as a permanent member. At the moment, the UNSC is composed of five permanent members and ten non-permanent members, each of which is chosen for a two-year term by the United Nations General Assembly.
Russia, the United Kingdom, China, France, and the United States are the five permanent members, and each of these nations has the ability to turn down any substantial resolution. There has been an increasing need to raise the count of permanent members to reflect the modern global realities. India and France agreed in a joint statement on Wednesday to maintain close collaboration within the G20 framework, and France reaffirmed its unwavering support for India’s application for permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
According to India’s statement, it has stated that the country will continue to communicate with members of the NSG in order to garner support for an expedited decision on the country’s membership request. The 48-member NSG is an exclusive club of countries that engages in trade-in nuclear technology and fissile materials in addition to promoting non-proliferation of nuclear arms.
China, being one among the five nuclear-weapon nations, has been outspoken in its opposition to India’s NSG request, partly because New Delhi is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Its objection has hampered India’s admission into the group, as the NSG operates on the consensus concept.
Prime Minister Modi visited French President Macron in Paris on Wednesday, and the two leaders had discussions on bilateral and global problems extensively, agreeing on a pioneering agenda for the next stage of the India-France Strategic Partnership. Modi flew from Denmark to Paris concluding his three-nation European tour. He also held extended discussions with the newly re-elected French President Macron on Wednesday night.
