India will get permanent UNSC seat, but it will have to work harder this time: EAM Jaishankar

Rajkot, Apr 2 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said India will definitely get permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council as there is a feeling in the world that it should get the position, but the country will have to work harder this time for it. He was speaking during an interaction with intellectuals in Gujarat’s Rajkot city and was asked by the audience on India’s chances of becoming the permanent member of the world body.The United Nations was formed around 80 years ago, five nations — China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States — decided among themselves to become permanent members of its security council, Jaishankar said.

At that time, there were a total of around 50 independent countries in the world, which has over time increased to around 193, he said. “But these five nations have kept their control, and it is strange that you have to ask them to give us their consent for a change. A few agree, a few others put forward their position with honesty, while others do something from behind,” he said. This has been going on for several years, the minister said. “But now, there is a feeling across the world that this should change, and India should get a permanent seat. I see this feeling increasing every year,” he said. “We will definitely get it. But nothing big is ever achieved without hard work,” Jaishankar said. “We will have to work hard, and this time we will have to work even harder,” he added. The Union minister said India, Japan, Germany and Egypt have put forward a proposal together before the UN and he believes this will take the matter a bit forward. “But we must build pressure, and when this pressure increases…There is a feeling in the world that the UN has weakened. There was a deadlock in the UN on the Ukraine war and no consensus was reached in the UN regarding Gaza. I think as this feeling increases, our chances of getting a permanent seat will increase,” he said.

When asked about baby girl Ariha Shah, who was taken away from her Indian parents by authorities in Germany and sent to foster care, Jaishankar said he was personally aware of the matter and monitoring it. “The girl has been given to the child services. We are dissatisfied with this. We do not want the child to be raised as per the German culture. Her parents have moved the court and the matter is being heard,” the minister said. “At my level I have raised the issue with my counterpart. Our effort is to find some solutions,” he added. In his address at the event, Jaishankar said India has proved in the last 10 years that democracy can deliver. The world is amazed at India moving towards 7 per cent growth despite the COVID-19 pandemic hampering growth, he said. “The world believes that India as the fastest growing large economy can become the engine of global growth,” he said. The world understands that India has technological talent, he added. World agencies such as the UN understand India’s achievements in social sectors like access to water, electricity, roads, health, schooling, etc, the external affairs minister further said. “We should understand that being the fifth largest economy, on the way to becoming the third largest and with the biggest population, the world believes us to be talented people and expects us to contribute to resolve challenges,” he added.