Jaishankar says UN ‘largely irrelevant’, UNSC ‘gridlocked’: Why India pushes for reform | Explained

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar criticized the United Nations and the UN Security Council (UNSC) during a speech at the 5th Kautilya Economic Conclave in New Delhi. He claimed that the UN has become "largely irrelevant" and the UNSC is "gridlocked" due to its inability to effectively respond to major global crises such as conflicts in the Gulf, Ukraine, Africa, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jaishankar attributed these issues to the outdated structure of the UNSC, which he said no longer accurately represents the global community. The UNSC consists of five permanent members with veto power and 10 elected members, but Jaishankar argued that it has not kept pace with the UN's membership growth. India's concerns go beyond securing a permanent seat on the UNSC; the country wants the Council to be more representative of the geopolitical realities of the 21st century.

India has been working with the G4 grouping (India, Brazil, Germany and Japan) and the L.69 Group to advocate for UNSC reform. Jaishankar also accused some countries of invoking Africa's interests while opposing reforms to the UN, stating that African countries have already expressed their position during intergovernmental negotiations.

The campaign for Security Council reform gained momentum during the ongoing UN General Assembly session, with the G4 group recently reiterating their call for reform and supporting greater African representation.