US Responds to Elon Musk’s Support for India’s Permanent UNSC Seat

The United States officially expressed support for reforms to the United Nations (UN) institutions, including the Security Council, in response to Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s criticism of India’s lack of a permanent seat at the UN Security Council (UNSC). Vedant Patel, a US official, stated that the President and the Secretary have acknowledged the need for reforms to make the UN institution reflective of the 21st-century world.

The US supports the idea of reform, without specifying the exact steps to be taken at this point. Elon Musk’s statement earlier in January drew attention to the issue, calling it ‘absurd’ that India, as the most populous country, does not have a permanent seat on the Security Council.

He highlighted the reluctance of powerful nations to relinquish their power and suggested a revision to the UN bodies to address this issue, proposing that India and Africa should have permanent seats on the Security Council. India has long sought a permanent seat on the Security Council to better represent the interests of the developing world.

This quest has gained momentum with growing support from the international community. The Security Council currently comprises five permanent members with veto power and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India has pledged to pursue permanent membership for the country in the United Nations Security Council as part of its election manifesto. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also emphasized the growing global support for India’s permanent membership at the UNSC, acknowledging that sometimes one has to seize opportunities rather than wait for generous allocations.

The issue of India’s absence from the permanent seats at the UN Security Council has sparked significant debate and advocacy within India and internationally, calling for reforms and representation that align with the current global and geopolitical landscape.