India (Commonwealth Union)_ Former Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme ardently supports the permanent inclusion of India in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), highlighting that such an initiative would bolster the council’s legitimacy and representation. Leterme emphasized that the UNSC must adapt to the realities of the 21st century, transcending the structures established in the 20th century. Commending Prime Minister Narendra Modi for raising India’s geopolitical stature, he asserts that India has rightfully earned a powerful position in the multilateral arena.
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As he addressed the media, Leterme praised India’s new connectivity initiative, the India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), highlighting its complementary nature to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Leterme called for a more equitable distribution of roles in multilateral institutions, particularly advocating for increased participation from nations like India, Brazil, and African countries in the wake of the Ukraine-Russian conflict. He underscores the necessity for a reset in multilateral institutions to address evolving global power dynamics. He said, ”We are all preaching for a better distribution of roles. I think that our multilateral institutions have served us very well after the Second World War. But there is a need to reset and, by reset, I mean we need to rebalance, to make changes in the balance of power.”
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Regarding booming nations such as India, Brazil, and some African countries, Leterme noted that they deserve key roles in the multilateral framework. Emphasizing the importance of India having a more prominent role and expressing his support for India’s bid for permanent UNSC membership, he argued that the legitimacy of the UNSC’s work would be enhanced by including India and Brazil in the P5, making it more representative. He asserted that addressing 21st-century problems requires updating the UNSC’s setup and solutions.
Leterme underscored the importance of adapting multilateral structures to tackle contemporary challenges. He added, ”The legitimacy of the work done by the (UN) Security Council would be enhanced if the P5 is enhanced with India and Brazil, making it more representative. You cannot tackle 21st-century problems with 20th-century setups and solutions. The UN Security Council needs to be restructured so that India, Brazil, and some other rising nations have a say and have the right to influence decision-making.”
Expressing ardent advocacy for India’s bid for permanent UNSC membership, Leterme calls for restructuring the UNSC to allow India, Brazil, and other rising nations to influence decision-making. Despite India’s strong candidacy, dissatisfaction with the lack of progress in Security Council reform discussions persists. At present, the UNSC comprises five permanent members with veto power (Russia, the UK, China, France, and the United States) and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly.
Regarding the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) Project, Leterme dismissed the idea of competition with China’s BRI, viewing the new initiative as complementary. He emphasized the need for improved connectivity between the European Union (EU) and Asia, calling for enhanced transport infrastructure. Leterme also underscored the importance of the EU-India connectivity partnership and proposed additional investment in infrastructure links for transporting energy goods and water to strengthen ties between the regions. Praising Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, Leterme acknowledged India’s advancement in emerging as a reliable partner in geopolitics. He commended India’s growth and performance and emphasized the need for the EU to invest more in its partnership with India.
Regarding the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the EU, Leterme underscored the EU’s interest in finalizing the FTA, considering India a powerhouse of the future. He also advocated for prioritizing a balanced FTA and increased investment in the EU-India partnership. He said, ”I think that we have to work with India to better coordinate our position in the G20 System in the multilateral framework. So the European Union should invest more in its privileged relation with India to be allies in geopolitical processes”. Additionally, he highlighted the EU’s interest in India playing a non-aligned role, cooperating with all states rather than aligning exclusively with the United States or China.
