The UN General Assembly chose the path of text-based negotiations for carrying out Security Council reforms. India’s goal of becoming a permanent member of the UN security council took a significant step forward. However, the US, China and Russia did not contribute to the text, a move which was seen as an attempt to thwart India’s bid for permanent membership of the global body.

India termed as “historic” and “path-breaking” the adoption of the document, saying the decision puts the Inter- Governmental Process formally on an “irreversible text-based negotiations path” and changes the “dynamics” of the negotiations on achieving UNSC reforms. Though the US and Russia have been supporting India’s bid, China has been against any expansion of the Security Council.

The adoption is a significant step towards beginning talks on the long-stalled reforms process in the 70th session of the Assembly on the basis of a negotiating text, a first in the last seven years of Inter-Governmental Negotiations that have been conducted so far without the basis of any text.

Once the draft is agreed upon by the UN member countries, it will be put to vote at the General Assembly, where a two-thirds vote is needed to pass it.

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