Voting for the Veto: India in a reformed UN
Shairi MathurIndia has recently dropped its insistence on acquiring veto power as part of its bid for a permanent seat on the Council. Yet the role of the veto is central to the founding purposes of the Security Council. Even though the Indian government may have suspended its interest in the veto power for now, that is not sufficient reason for the rest of the world to ignore the question. The outcome of various package deals and votes in September 2005 will not alter the fundamentals of India’s ‘claim’ to veto power. Therefore, and notwithstanding the ‘anachronistic character’ of the veto, this pamphlet argues that it is in the best interests of all UN member states to ensure that a peaceable, politically developed and economically strong India has not only a permanent seat on the Security Council but also veto power.