India's UNSC bid getting stronger resonance: President

With India enhancing engagements with like-minded countries in multilateral organisations, its "legitimate claim" for a permanent membership in the UN Security Council is now getting a "stronger resonance", President Pranab Mukherjee said today. Inaugurating the 35th India International Trade Fair 2015 here at Pragati Maidan, he said India has intensified engagement with the neighbours and friendly countries across the globe. India recently conducted the 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit successfully and the participation of all 54 African countries in the summit, in foreign policy terms, moved the country into a select group of nations having the capacity and ability to engage all of Africa simultaneously.

"India is also working with like-minded countries in multilateral organisations, including United Nations, to play an enhanced role in diverse fora, from the Arctic Council and the Pacific Alliance to the UN Security Council, where India has made a legitimate claim for permanent membership. The potential of India now has a stronger resonance," he added. For long, India has been pressing for a UNSC permanent membership but the efforts has not bore fruit.