Reasons

1. India constitutes about one sixth the population of the whole world and has emerged as a major power of South Asia and second emerging country in the world. Indian society is comprised 1 billion Hindus and 150 million Muslims — the second-largest Islamic population in the world —reflecting the diverse religious tolerance that is critical.

2. India has played a proactive role in restoration of peace in the world. It has been a great exponent in the nonalignment concept. Out of 118 NAM countries none has the permanent seat. Therefore, a major section of the world is deprived of being represented in the SC as its permanent member.

3. Now India is a nuclear power, and it has committed itself towards making Indian Ocean as Zone of Peace by adhering to the doctrine of “no first use”. Even NSG has accepted India’s incredible track record and has permitted to go ahead for civil nuclear

supply to India.

4. India is among the founding nations of the UN and has been very instrumental in helping the UN in the process of peacekeeping in the world.

5. India is the biggest democracy in the world and cherishes the values enshrined in the UN charter more than any other nation of the world.

6. India, with its ancient civilization,rich heritage, deep rooted democratic system and growing economic potential has the credentials to champion the cause of the developing nations which need proper representation in the Council.

7. India’s navy, by far the most capable in the region, protects vital sea lanes in the Indian Ocean and projects power and influence across a vast strategic arc spanning southern and eastern Africa, the South China Sea and Australia and has controlled the piracy in the sea.

Therefore, India fully deserves to be a permanent member of the UNSC. But, the current compromise formula of giving a permanent seat with the veto power is good for nothing. India has called for a “comprehensive reform” of this powerful body of the United Nations and said it is opposed to any stop-gap or interim arrangement. India remains convinced that the only remedy is a comprehensive reform of the Security Council, involving expansion in its permanent and non-permanent categories. The expansion of SC would ensure to make it more efficient and democratic. India, which is part of G-4 grouping including Japan, Germany and Brazil, has proposed to increase the strength of the Security Council from 15 to 25 by adding six permanent and four non-permanent seats. It is self-evident that real change and improvement can come only through inducting new permanent members through the principles of election and subsequent accountability to the wider membership through an appropriate review mechanism. France in particular, among the current five Permanent Members of the Security Council, came out in open support of the G-4 proposals, by saying that India, Germany, Japan and Brazil deserve permanent membership with two seats from Africa.

India and African countries also cooperate closely on global issues including the UN reforms and global trade talks. The 53-nation African Union holds the key to the reform of the UN Security Council, but it is undecided on choosing its consensus

candidates for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council due to competing nationalist rivalries. India, Japan, Germany, South Africa and Brazil are seeking permanent seats in the UN Security Council.

At present, three out of five permanent members of the UN Security Council – Britain, Russia and France – have supported  India’s bid for the permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council. The US has supported Japan’s claim, but has yet to come out unambiguously in support of India’s candidacy. India expects that the forthcoming Obama visit to India may see the US open support for India’s candidature in UNSC. China has expressed support for India’s bigger role on the international stage, but still not supported India outrightly. Recently, Cambodia has confirmed that it would support India’s bid to secure a permanent seat on an enlarged UN Security Council in comments that coincided with the arrival in Phnom Penh of Indian President Pratibha

Patil. Belgium has “unequivocally” reconfirmed its support for India’s bid for a permanent seat in the enlarged UN Security Council.