Musk’s Remarks Prompt Biden Support on India UNSC Seat

Washington: The United States has expressed backing for the imperative overhaul of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council, to ensure it mirrors the intricacies of the contemporary global landscape, as stated by a high-ranking official from the Biden administration. This endorsement aligns with rising appeals for the inclusion of India as a permanent fixture on the dominant UN body.

Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the State Department, articulated this stance while addressing a query regarding tech luminary Elon Musk’s assertion that the UN’s efficacy is compromised without India’s permanent seat on the Security Council.

President Joe Biden has previously underscored the necessity for such transformations in his discourse to the UN General Assembly. “We unequivocally endorse adjustments to the UN framework, encompassing the Security Council, to render it emblematic of the 21st-century environment we inhabit. While I cannot provide explicit details on the measures, we recognize the urgency for modernization,” Patel conveyed during a media briefing on Wednesday.

Earlier in the year, Tesla’s CEO Musk advocated for India’s permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council. Musk posited that the existing configuration does not adequately embody the world’s populous nations.

“There must eventually be a recalibration of the UN apparatus,” he remarked. “The issue lies in those with surplus authority being reluctant to relinquish it. India’s absence of a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the world’s most populous nation, is preposterous,” Musk, aged 52, proclaimed.

Musk’s impending visit to India this month is anticipated to include the revelation of the company’s investment strategies in the nation. India has been leading longstanding efforts to revamp the Security Council, asserting its rightful place as a permanent member at the UN’s premier table, which in its current state does not reflect the geopolitical nuances of the modern era.

Presently, the UNSC consists of five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US. Only these members possess the authority to veto significant resolutions.

In March, India submitted a comprehensive proposal representing the G4 alliance of Brazil, Germany, Japan, and itself, calling for the Security Council’s restructuring. The G4 plan suggests expanding the Security Council’s membership from 15 to 25-26 by incorporating six permanent and four or five non-permanent members.