Time has come for making UN bodies more democratic, representative of current realities: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said when India, the most populous nation of the world, does not find a seat as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, it tends to "undermine the moral legitimacy" of the global organisation. Addressing a gathering at a seminar held here to mark 75 years of United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping, he also said that time has come for making UN bodies "more democratic and representative of the current realities of our age".

He made the remarks in the presence of UN Resident Coordinator Shombi Sharp, who shared the dais with him. In his address, Singh also said, "While we commemorate the past, we must also look towards the future." It is also important to look at the entire UN ecosystem and what can be done to improve it, he said.

"One important reform that stares us in our faces is to make UN decision-making bodies, including the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), more reflective of demographic realities of the world," the defence minister said. The Council currently is composed of five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US -- and 10 elected non-permanent members who serve two-year terms. India completed its tenure as a non-permanent member of the Council in December last year.

"When India, the most populous nation of the world, 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 UN bodies more democratic and representative of the current realities of our age," Singh added.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande, several senior officials of the Army, and defence attaches from various embassies here were also present on the occasion.