Archive · 6 Oct 2026
Jaishankar Calls UN Irrelevant, Urges Security Council Reform
S. Jaishankar said the United Nations is not helping decide what to do about some major world problems.
He pointed to disagreements in the Security Council as one reason.
He also said the Council does not represent the world as well as it should.
The UN has many more member countries now than when it began with 51.
Jaishankar said some countries use Africa’s interests as a reason to oppose reform.
He said African countries have already explained what changes they want.
He believes the UN is important and should be improved, not avoided.
India is working with other countries to support changes to the Security Council.
Those changes would require amendments to the UN Charter.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the UN is “largely irrelevant” to decisions on major global crises because of Security Council gridlock.
He cited conflicts in the Gulf, Ukraine and Africa, as well as COVID-19, as examples of issues where the UN has struggled to shape decisions.
Jaishankar said the Security Council’s composition does not reflect the wider international community; he noted that UN membership has grown from 51 to nearly four times that number.
He accused some countries of invoking Africa’s interests to resist reform, while saying African countries have stated their position in intergovernmental negotiations.
Jaishankar said the UN should be fixed, not bypassed; India is pursuing Security Council expansion through the G4 and L.69 groups.
- Who
- India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
- What
- He criticized the UN’s role in decisions on major crises and called for a more representative Security Council.
- When
- Monday; the articles do not specify a date.
- Where
- The 5th Kautilya Economic Conclave in New Delhi, India.
- Why
- Jaishankar cited Security Council gridlock and said its composition does not reflect the wider international community.
Reform advocates
Reform opponents, as described by Jaishankar
Security Council reform
Reform advocates
Jaishankar argued that gridlock and the Council’s composition make reform necessary, including expanding representation.
Reform opponents, as described by Jaishankar
Jaishankar said some countries oppose UN reform and invoke Africa’s interests; the articles do not provide those countries’ own views.
Africa’s representation
Reform advocates
Jaishankar said African countries have stated their position in negotiations, and India supports greater African representation.
Reform opponents, as described by Jaishankar
Jaishankar said some reform opponents use Africa’s interests to argue against change; no opposing account from those countries or African representatives is included.
- Speaker
- S. Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister
- Event
- 5th Kautilya Economic Conclave
- Crises mentioned
- Conflicts in the Gulf, Ukraine and Africa, and the COVID-19 pandemic
- UN membership
- Jaishankar said the UN began with 51 members and now has almost four times that number.
- India’s reform groupings
- The G4—India, Brazil, Germany and Japan—and the L.69 Group
- Charter change
- Reforming the Security Council would require amendments to the UN Charter.
