UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has voiced support for India’s inclusion as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Speaking alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai on Thursday, Starmer said India should get its “rightful place” on the global body’s top decision-making panel.
A permanent seat for India on the UNSC has been a long-standing demand, gaining international backing in recent years. The United States, Germany, France, Japan, Brazil, and the African Union have all endorsed India’s bid. Starmer’s remarks echo those made in September last year, when he, then-US President Joe Biden, and French President Emmanuel Macron called for India, Germany, Japan, and Brazil to be included in order to make the UN a “more representative body.”
Russia has also extended its support. In September, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow favours broader representation from Asia, Africa, and Latin America in the Security Council.
Currently, China is the only Asian nation with a permanent seat. India’s relations with China have often been tense on economic and military fronts, though both nations have found common ground in some global issues, including trade-related matters.
India has consistently stressed the need for reforms in global institutions. At a BRICS summit in Russia’s Kazan last October, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called for changes in “established institutions and mechanisms” like the UNSC to ensure “a more equitable global order.”
In 2023, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he “fully understands” India’s demand for a permanent seat but noted that any change would depend on the member countries’ consensus.
The UNSC currently has five permanent members — the US, UK, Russia, China, and France — and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. Pakistan currently holds a non-permanent seat until 2026.
During his visit, Starmer also praised India’s “remarkable growth story” and highlighted efforts to deepen bilateral ties between the two nations. The two leaders discussed expanding cooperation in trade, defence, technology, and culture — “from Bollywood to football,” as Starmer put it.
The meeting followed the trade deal signed in July, which includes tariff cuts on British goods like whisky, cosmetics, and medical devices entering India, and reduced duties on Indian exports of clothing, footwear, and food products to the UK.
India and the UK — the world’s fifth- and sixth-largest economies — have bilateral trade worth around $54.8 billion, supporting more than 600,000 jobs across both nations.
Prime Minister Modi described India and the UK as “natural partners,” adding that the two countries are building “a crucial foundation for global stability and economic progress.”
The leaders also discussed regional and global issues, including peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region through maritime cooperation, as well as developments in West Asia and Ukraine. On the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, India reiterated its support for peace efforts through dialogue and diplomacy.