Praising PM Modi’s diplomatic prowess, Stubb described India as a global heavyweight: the largest democracy, Europe’s emerging strategic ally, and a top-tier economy surging ahead. ‘We see it every day here,’ he added.

India’s foreign policy drew special acclaim for avoiding misconceptions and staying rooted in pragmatism. ‘India protects strategic autonomy and vigilance while backing multilateral efforts. The world could learn from this—become a little more Indian,’ Stubb declared personally.

As the world navigates shifts in the global order, India and its Global South partners will steer its direction, Stubb noted. Talks focused on security in the region, defense matters, and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. Consensus emerged that war cessation benefits all, achievable only through adherence to UN ideals for enduring peace.

A permanent UNSC seat for India is ‘very important,’ Stubb asserted. He welcomed advancing India-EU relations as crucial strategic bonds, with a promising start. Twenty Finnish firms in cutting-edge fields like quantum tech, satellites, networks, food processing, and green innovations accompanied him, poised for partnerships.

Stubb’s candid support highlights India’s indispensable role, fostering optimism for enhanced India-Finland collaboration across diplomacy, security, and business.

During Friday’s IGN session, Deputy Permanent Representative Yojana Patel warned that such a category—offering extended terms without permanence—would trap the UN in a crisis of relevance for generations. She accused proponents of using it to stall meaningful change.

This ‘fixed regional seats’ concept comes courtesy of the Uniting for Consensus (UfC) bloc, a coalition including Italy and Pakistan, notorious for obstructing negotiations through endless procedural games.

‘It’s a deliberate half-measure that undermines the UN’s credibility,’ Patel declared, highlighting near-universal agreement on the need for swift reform, save for a handful of blockers.

Japan’s Kazuyuki Yamazaki, representing G4 nations (India, Japan, Germany, Brazil), drove the point home: these seats mimic temporary ones without guaranteed continuity, failing to fix deep-seated inequities.

G4 pushes for growth in both seat types, with cross-support for permanent bids, dismissing the third category as ignoring the majority’s clear demands.

L.69, a 42-nation developing world group featuring India, piled on via Saint Lucia’s Menissa Rambally. She rejected hybrid models as insincere, noting the Global South’s decades-long wait demands nothing less than structural overhaul.

Patel shot down veto extension to these seats as another obfuscation tactic, stressing that only permanent and non-permanent expansions deliver justice.

Without permanent growth, any package remains flawed and dismissive of reform advocates. She assured that operational tweaks could handle a bigger, more representative Council.

Underrepresentation of key regions like Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America-Caribbean in permanent seats is a glaring flaw no partial fix can ignore.

India’s bold intervention signals rising impatience with foot-dragging, as global powers realign and demand a Council fit for the 21st century.

Expressing delight at returning to India for the sixth time, Lula affectionately called Modi a dear friend. He framed their meeting not merely as a democratic rendezvous but as a confluence of digital and renewable energy giants, united in promoting peace and multilateral order.

Lula reflected on the transformative Brasilia summit last year, where pacts across five key sectors breathed new life into cooperation. As culturally vibrant giants, India and Brazil must amplify their influence, he urged, especially in reforming institutions like the UN Security Council.

Echoing Modi’s BRICS speech, Lula advocated ditching outdated 20th-century mechanisms for 21st-century solutions. The G4 group’s push for expanded permanent and non-permanent seats remains critical, he said, to ensure Global South representation in tackling worldwide issues.

Condemning the Pulwama terror attack, Lula affirmed Brazil’s consistent stance against such violence, emphasizing that terrorism knows no borders and shouldn’t be exploited geopolitically. Brazil remains steadfast in maintaining South America as a zone of peace.

The agenda yielded three pivotal MoUs on digital collaboration, critical minerals cooperation, and steel-mining supply chains. A bold trade goal of over $20 billion by 2029 signals economic momentum.

Lula’s state visit featured a grand reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan, complete with Guard of Honour from President Murmu and PM Modi. In closing, he envisioned a robust partnership that strengthens the Global South, preventing bipolar superpower rivalries from resurfacing.

The agenda was ambitious: confronting security challenges, fostering sustainable growth, enhancing economic safeguards, ramping up climate and biodiversity efforts, and accelerating SDG achievements. These commitments shone through in the comprehensive joint statement.

Marking India’s 77th Republic Day, Costa and von der Leyen led a stellar EU delegation as chief guests, including key figures like Kaja Kallas and Maros Sefcovic.

The spotlight fell on the groundbreaking India-EU Security and Defence Partnership agreement— a pioneering framework expanding collaboration in maritime domains, defence tech, cyber threats, space security, and anti-terror ops. Negotiations began on an Information Security Agreement to boost secure info sharing and defence synergy.

Pushing for UN centrality, they advocated Security Council overhaul for greater inclusivity and relevance in today’s world. Europe and Indo-Pacific security are inextricably linked, they noted, vowing a rules-based Indo-Pacific per UNCLOS, bolstered by initiatives like IPOI and IORA, and the first India-EU Indo-Pacific talks.

Ukraine’s war drew shared alarm for its human suffering and ripple effects; they backed diplomacy for enduring peace. Iran and regional flashpoints called for calm, diplomatic paths. On Gaza, UNSC Resolution 2803 was praised for peacekeeping mechanisms, with calls for compliance, aid access, and two-state resolution.

Terrorism faced zero tolerance: all manifestations, including cross-border attacks like Pahalgam (22 April 2025) and Red Fort vicinity (10 November 2025), were roundly condemned. Global unity is urged against radicalism, funding, laundering, tech abuse, and recruitment.

This Delhi rendezvous cements India-EU as strategic pillars in a volatile world, promising collaborative triumphs ahead.

The Secretary-General detailed the inexorable trend: developed nations’ GDP slice is eroding daily, while emerging markets surge ahead in scale and clout. South-South commerce now eclipses traditional North-North exchanges, he observed.

‘Institutions built in 1945 can’t solve 2026’s problems,’ Guterres declared. He advocated equally for UNSC expansion to mirror today’s realities and for rebalancing influence in bodies like the IMF and World Bank.

Backing his case, a fresh UN World Economic Situation report revealed developing countries grew 4.2% last year versus 2.9% for advanced economies. India topped the charts at 7.4%, bolstering its push for a permanent Security Council seat.

Delivering what may be his last major General Assembly speech, Guterres reflected on a world battered by crises yet showing glimmers of hope for UN relevance. He sidestepped direct criticism of veto-wielding powers like the US and Russia, often blamed for paralyzing the Council.

Instead, he decried broader threats: ‘Certain actions are driving international cooperation to the brink, undermining multilateralism’s bedrock.’ On funding, he indirectly referenced America’s dues shortfall crippling UN operations.

With resolve, Guterres vowed persistence: ‘We will not yield.’ His remarks ignite fresh debate on reforming global institutions to embrace the multipolar era, where economic heavyweights like India demand a seat at the high table. As developing giants rise, the call for equitable representation grows louder, promising either evolution or obsolescence for the UN.

As the world’s most populous nation and a major global economy, India’s inclusion would inject much-needed representation for the 21st century’s multipolar reality. Its consistent contributions to UN peacekeeping missions and its growing economic and political influence make it a strong contender. Many developing nations view India as a crucial voice for the Global South, advocating for fairness in trade, climate justice, and institutional reform. Its permanent membership would significantly amplify the influence of emerging economies on the world stage.

Notably, four of the five permanent UNSC members have voiced support for India’s aspirations. The United States, through statements from both former President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, has affirmed its backing for India’s permanent status in a reformed council. France, under President Emmanuel Macron, has also strongly endorsed India’s bid, alongside other significant global players like Germany, Japan, and Brazil, as well as representation from African nations. The United Kingdom, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer recently advocating for India’s permanent role, adds further weight. Russia has consistently supported India’s claim, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov highlighting the shift in global power dynamics since the UN’s inception. Beyond these major powers, countries such as Portugal, Kuwait, Bhutan, Mauritius, and the African Union have also openly declared their support for India’s permanent membership on the UNSC.