US President Joe Biden reaffirms US' support to India's permanent membership in UNSC

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Friday revealed that United States President Joe Biden feels India should have a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. Speaking after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with President Biden, Shringla informed that the US president appreciated India’s presidency of the UNSC.

The talks about India’s role in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) came on the second day of PM Modi’s US visit.

"There was an appreciation of our presidency of the UN Security Council, especially on the Afghanistan issue. President Joe Biden was very specific in stating that he felt India should have a permanent seat in the UN Security Council," Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Biden.

India at UNSC

India took over the rotating presidency of UNSC from France on August 1, Sunday and held the tenure for the month of August. On January 1, 2021, India began a two-year term as a non-permanent member of the Security Council. The August presidency was India's first as a non-permanent member of the Security Council during its term of 2021-22.

In December, next year, India will take over as chairman of the Council for the final month of its two-year term. The country hosted high-level events in three important areas including maritime security, peacekeeping, and counterterrorism under India's presidency. India also played a major hand in dealing with the Afghanistan situation during its tenure at UNSC.

PM Modi lands to address UNGA

After completing the Washington DC leg of his US visit, conducting significant meetings with US President Joe Biden and Quad leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in New York to address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Session.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) tweeted informing the nation's "current membership of the UN Security Council lends even greater significance!" PM Modi will be speaking at the general debate of the 76th session of the UNGA at 6.30 pm today. Informing about the Indian Prime Minister's arrival to New York, the MEA tweeted: "Voicing the sentiments of the 1.3 billion people of India!"

Meanwhile, two crucial meetings took place on Friday-- the first with US President Joe Biden and the second with leaders of the Quad countries. In his meeting with PM Modi, US President Joe Biden highlighted that the US-India relationship is bound to be stronger and said that from here on begins a new chapter in Indo-US ties. During the meeting, the duo discussed issues related to trade, COVID-19, climate change and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

(Image: AP/ PTI)