UNSC Membership Must Not Be Used To ‘Legitimise’ Terrorists: India

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 20: India has said membership of the UN Security Council must not be used to “legitimise” terrorists by seeking their removal from sanctions regimes, or to blacklist entities solely on political considerations, stressing that the powerful 15-member body should not become a platform for pursuing narrow interests.

Addressing a Security Council open debate on working methods on Wednesday, Charge d’Affaires at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN Ambassador Yojna Patel called for greater transparency and objectivity in the listing and de-listing of terrorists and terror entities under the Council’s sanctions regimes.

“Security Council membership brings significant responsibilities. This must not become a platform to pursue narrow political interests,” she said.

Patel said there must be greater transparency in the listing and de-listing process and warned against attempts to use Council membership to seek the removal of terrorists from sanctions lists or designate entities as terrorist organisations without objective criteria and supporting documentation.

India has consistently criticised the opaque functioning of UNSC sanctions committees, particularly the 1267 Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee. New Delhi has said evidence-based proposals to designate internationally sanctioned terrorists should not be blocked without adequate explanation.

India has previously faced such hurdles in efforts to designate Pakistan-based terrorists, with China, a permanent member of the Council, placing holds or blocking some proposals.

Patel also raised concern over delays in finalising chairs of the Council’s subsidiary bodies, including the 1267 Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions committees.

She said eight months into 2026, the chairs and vice-chairs of the subsidiary bodies were yet to be finalised and called for a “definitive and non-negotiable” timeline to resolve the issue.

India also sought greater transparency for elected non-permanent Council members in key processes, including the selection of the UN Secretary-General.

Patel stressed that Security Council reform was more pressing than ever, noting that the world had changed significantly since 1945 and that UN membership had grown four-fold.

“The outcome of one conflict 80 years ago cannot determine the composition, dynamics, approaches and working methods for perpetuity,” she said. (Agencies)