India’s long-running campaign for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has gained fresh backing from Central Europe. The four members of the Visegrad Group, known as V4, threw their collective weight behind New Delhi’s bid during their first-ever foreign ministers’ meeting with India on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York.
DON'T MISS
What Was Said
Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar confirmed that Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic were united in their support. “We all agree as V4 countries that India, as a part of the Global South, an upcoming superpower in the Indo-Pacific region, must be at the table as a permanent member of the UN Security Council,” Blanar said after the meeting.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar shared details of the talks on social media, calling it a landmark first engagement between the bloc and India.
More Than Just The UNSC
Beyond the Security Council question, the meeting set the stage for annual ministerial-level talks between India and the V4 nations, with both sides agreeing to widen cooperation in defence, technology, and education.
Why This Support Matters
The Visegrad Group’s backing adds to a growing list of countries supporting India’s UNSC bid, including the United States, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom among the current permanent members. India has argued that the Council, formed in 1945, no longer reflects today’s geopolitical realities and needs to include rising powers from Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
India has served as an elected, non-permanent member of the Security Council eight times, most recently in 2021-22, but has never held a permanent seat.
