“India Must Be at the Table”: V4 Nations Back Permanent UNSC Seat, Slovakia Calls India an Emerging Indo-Pacific Power

New York: India’s long-standing push for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) received fresh diplomatic backing from all four members of the Visegrád Group (V4)—Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic—during the first high-level V4+India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly.

Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár said the four V4 countries agree that India, as a major country of the Global South and an emerging power in the Indo-Pacific, should have a permanent place at the UNSC decision-making table.

Jaishankar Calls First V4+India Meeting “Historic”

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar described the meeting as a “new historic occasion” and said the discussions were productive.

The meeting marked the first ministerial-level engagement between India and the four-member Central European grouping in the new V4+India format. The two sides agreed to maintain regular engagement, including annual meetings of foreign ministers and an annual business forum.

V4 Supports India’s Permanent UNSC Ambition

Speaking after the meeting, Blanár said:

«“We all agree as V4 countries that India as a part of the Global South, upcoming superpower in the Indo-Pacific region, must be at the table as the permanent member of the UN Security Council.”»

His remarks represent collective support from the V4 countries for India’s campaign for permanent UNSC membership. Slovakia has separately stated its support for India’s ambition to become a permanent Security Council member.

Defence, Technology and Space on the Agenda

The discussions covered a broad range of areas, including political and economic cooperation, defence, technology, innovation, space, connectivity, education and people-to-people exchanges.

Jaishankar said India has a strong history of defence cooperation with all four V4 nations and expressed interest in strengthening that relationship further. The countries also discussed opportunities to expand cooperation in technology, research and innovation.

Ukraine and Gulf Situation Also Discussed

The ministers exchanged views on major international developments, including the Ukraine conflict and the situation in the Gulf.

Energy security was also part of the discussions, with Slovakia highlighting the impact of geopolitical conflicts and disruptions to energy supplies.

India-EU Cooperation Gets New Push

The V4+India format is also expected to provide a platform for deeper engagement between India and Central European countries, particularly as India-EU economic and strategic ties expand.

Jaishankar said the sides would work towards closer political cooperation, deeper economic engagement and stronger partnerships in technology, innovation, research and education. The planned annual business forum is intended to further connect businesses from India and the V4 countries.

Why the UNSC Seat Matters

India has for years called for reform of the UN Security Council, arguing that its composition should better reflect contemporary global realities. The Council currently has five permanent members—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States—along with 10 elected members.

The V4’s latest support adds another group of European countries to the list of governments backing India’s permanent-membership aspirations, although any change to the Council’s permanent membership would ultimately require agreement through the UN reform process.