UN needs to be more democratic, India says

Remarking on the fact that India was yet to find a place as a permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the time had come for the UN and its bodies to be “more democratic and representative of the current realities of our age.”

“When India, the most populous nation, does not find a seat as a permanent member of the UNSC, it tends to undermine the moral legitimacy of the UN Therefore, the time has come for making the U.N. bodies more democratic and representative of the current realities of our age,” Mr. Singh said

He was speaking at a seminar organised by the Army along with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies and Centre for UN Peacekeeping to celebrate 75 years of UN peacekeeping.

India has been one of the top troop-contributing nations to UN peacekeeping operations.

It has contributed approximately 2.75 lakh troops to the missions so far.

Highlighting the emerging challenges being faced by the peacekeepers today, Mr. Singh stressed the need to invest more in training, technology and resources for their safety and productivity.

He also advocated for the meaningful participation of women in peacekeeping operations, emphasising that their unique contribution during missions in conflict-affected areas must be recognised.