India’s renewed push for permanent UN Security Council seat faces persistent China roadblock

India has renewed its long-standing bid for a permanent position in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as it seeks to represent the Global South, but resistance from China is expected to continue to present a significant hurdle.

For decades, India has been pushing for a seat at the table with the UNSC’s five permanent members, also known as the P5 – United Kingdom, China, France, Russia and the United States.

The council – which held its first session in 1946 – represents the victor nations of World War II and is responsible for maintaining international peace and security among the UN’s 193 member states.

China, the only Asian member of the council, has remained outwardly opposed to admitting India to the exclusive group.

In his address at the United Nations General Assembly last Saturday, India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar called for a “more representative” UN.