Obama calls for top India role at UN

Barack Obama, US president, has backed India for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council in a diplomatic finale to his three-day visit that highlighted the tightening relationship between the world’s two largest democracies.

India’s leaders have campaigned for permanent Security Council membership for years, seeking an endorsement of a stronger role in multilateral forums, such as the UN, that reflects their claim to be a responsible global power.
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“The just and sustainable international order that America seeks includes a United Nations that is efficient, effective, credible and legitimate,” Mr Obama said in an address to India’s parliament.

“That is why I can say today, in the years ahead, I look forward to a reformed UN Security Council that includes India as a permanent member.” Mr Obama had previously supported Japan for a permanent security council seat.

Recognising he would struggle to match the US-India civil nuclear deal promoted by his predecessor, George W. Bush, Indian officials had lowered expectations for Mr Obama’s visit. They identified support for the permanent security council seat and the relaxation of export controls on US technology as the best they could hope for, and held out for strong criticism of neighbouring Pakistan for harbouring terror networks.

Mr Obama delivered on all counts, saying India had arrived as a global power that could stand “shoulder to shoulder” with the US.

During his first visit to India, Mr Obama rolled out a carefully calibrated message that was widely welcomed across India’s political spectrum. He emphasised the economic benefits of a closer relationship and urged India to step up its dialogue with Pakistan to secure peace in the region. Finally, he signalled support for India to rise to the top table of world affairs.

In spite of their warming ties, the US and India have frequently taken different sides at the UN. Analysts had also questioned the significance of Washington’s support for multilateral reform that will take place years in the future.

But Ashley Tellis, of the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said Mr Obama’s support for India was more unequivocal than it had been to Japan. “This is truly the strongest endorsement that the US has tabled so far. I did not detect any hesitation at all,” he said.

Jaswant Singh, an Indian opposition leader and former foreign minister, said: “It’s a welcome endorsement but it’s accompanied by a baggage of expectations. It’s important for us to be more realistic about this.”