Russia has thrown its support behind India’s long-standing demand for permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov calling for greater representation for Asia, Africa, and Latin America in any reform of the body.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Lavrov said that as part of Security Council reforms, representation for Global South regions — including Asia, Africa, and Latin America — must be expanded. He explicitly backed the bids of India and Brazil for permanent seats, while opposing the allocation of any additional permanent seats to Western nations.
Moscow Opposes Permanent Seats for Germany, Japan
Lavrov used his address to lay out Russia’s position on Security Council reform in unambiguous terms, stating that no additional permanent seats should be granted to Western countries. He singled out Germany and Japan by name, alleging that both nations are drifting back toward militarism and reviving outdated claims to influence.
Russia, he said, favors expanding representation for Asia, Africa, and Latin America instead, and reiterated support for permanent membership for India and Brazil. He added that the interests of the African continent must also be factored into any Security Council reform process.
Broad International Support for India’s Candidacy
India’s bid for a permanent seat drew backing from several countries during the ongoing General Assembly session, including Germany and Japan.
Mauritius’ Foreign Minister, Dhananjay Ramful, said his country supports the position taken by the G4 and L69 groupings on Security Council reform, and reaffirmed Mauritius’ support for India’s permanent membership, citing India’s constructive role in global affairs.
Portugal also voiced support for structural reform of the Security Council. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said a more representative Security Council is needed and backed permanent representation for Africa, Brazil, and India.
Marshall Islands Reaffirms Support for Japan
The Marshall Islands reaffirmed its longstanding support for granting permanent UNSC membership to Japan and its G4 partner nations. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also called for Security Council reform, arguing that the body must be updated to reflect current global realities, and proposed increasing the number of seats in both the permanent and non-permanent categories.
African Nations Renew Calls for Greater Representation
African countries used the session to renew their demand for greater representation on the Security Council. Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio said the UNSC still reflects the geopolitical realities of 1945, noting that despite a population exceeding 1.6 billion, the African continent does not hold a single permanent seat on the Council.
Background: The Current Security Council
The UN Security Council currently has five permanent members, each holding veto power:
China
France
Russia
United Kingdom
United States
In addition to the five permanent members, the Council includes 10 non-permanent members serving two-year terms. Under Article 23 of the UN Charter, the Security Council comprises 15 member states in total, divided between permanent and non-permanent seats.