NEW YORK, September 22: India’s long-standing campaign for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) received fresh diplomatic support after Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic — the four members of the Visegrád Group (V4) — backed India’s bid during the first V4-India foreign ministers’ meeting in New York.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar participating alongside foreign ministers from the four Central European countries.
Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár said the V4 countries agreed that India should have a permanent place on the UN Security Council, highlighting India’s role in the Global South and its growing importance in the Indo-Pacific.
The discussions also focused on strengthening cooperation between India and the V4 countries in areas including trade and investment, technology and innovation, defence and security, connectivity, education and people-to-people exchanges. The countries also discussed the need for reforms to make multilateral institutions more representative.
Jaishankar described the inaugural V4-India engagement as a “new historic occasion”, with the sides agreeing to deepen political and economic cooperation, including regular foreign ministers’ meetings and an annual business forum.
The backing from the four Central European nations adds to the international support surrounding India’s demand for reform of the UN Security Council, although permanent membership would ultimately require broader agreement among UN member states and changes to the UN Charter.
