Expressing confidence that India would become a permanent member of the UN Security Council, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj today said the country expected that the new members would have the same rights, including the veto power+ , as the existing permanent members.
During the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, Swaraj said India has all the credentials to become a permanent member of the Security Council+ and four permanent members, US, UK, France and Russia have extended support. The fifth member, China, has also "not publicly opposed it", the external affairs minister said. "I am confident that if not this time, then next time, India would become a permanent member of the Security Council," she said.
To a question whether India would also get the 'veto' power, Swaraj said the country wants the same responsibilities, prerogatives as well as obligations as the current permanent members. "We don't want any discrimination between old and new members. We don't want two classes – that there is a first class and a second class of permanent members. This should make it clear that India wants the same responsibilities, prerogatives and obligations as the current permanent members," she said.
