UNITED NATIONS, Aug 20: India has urged the UN Security Council to ensure that its membership is not exploited for narrow political interests, warning against attempts to use the sanctions process to legitimise terrorists or target entities without objective evidence.
Speaking at a Security Council open debate on working methods, Charge d’Affaires at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, Ambassador Yojna Patel, stressed the need for greater transparency and impartiality in decisions concerning the listing and removal of terrorists and terror organisations from UN sanctions regimes.
Patel said membership of the 15-nation Council carries significant responsibilities and should not be turned into an avenue for advancing limited political agendas. She argued that decisions on sanctions must be based on established criteria and credible supporting material rather than political considerations.
India has repeatedly questioned the lack of transparency surrounding the work of Security Council sanctions committees. New Delhi has particularly objected to situations where proposals to designate terrorists are placed on technical hold or rejected without sufficient public explanation.
The Indian delegation maintained that such practices weaken the credibility of the Council’s counter-terrorism efforts. It has previously referred to the use of prolonged holds on designation proposals as a form of “disguised veto”.
India’s concerns have also focused on the 1267 Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee. New Delhi has in the past sought the designation of Pakistan-based terrorists but encountered resistance, including holds or blocks from China, a permanent member of the Security Council.
Patel further raised concerns over delays in appointing chairs and vice-chairs of the Council’s subsidiary bodies. Eight months into 2026, several key positions, including those linked to the 1267 Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions committees, remained unresolved.
She said subsidiary bodies play an important role in implementing Security Council mandates but cannot function effectively when leadership appointments are delayed.
India called for the issue to be treated as a priority and urged members to establish a clear and “definitive and non-negotiable” deadline for completing the appointments.
Denmark, which holds the Council presidency in August, also highlighted the prolonged delay. It described the situation as unprecedented and warned that the failure to appoint committee chairs could affect the Council’s effectiveness, credibility and institutional integrity.
Council members were urged to demonstrate political will and flexibility to overcome the deadlock.
India also advocated greater participation for elected, non-permanent Security Council members in important decision-making processes. Patel argued that the General Assembly, through its elected representatives on the Council, should have a stronger role in matters such as the selection of the UN Secretary-General.
The Secretary-General is appointed by the 193-member General Assembly following a recommendation from the Security Council. China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States hold permanent seats and possess veto powers.
Patel said the case for Security Council reform has become increasingly urgent as the international system has changed substantially since 1945.
She noted that UN membership has expanded fourfold since the organisation’s founding and argued that the Council’s composition, functioning and decision-making procedures must reflect today’s global realities.
India maintained that reform should focus on equipping the Security Council to respond more effectively to both present-day crises and emerging international challenges, rather than allowing structures created decades ago to continue indefinitely.