Post by : Rohit Dhiman

India's long-standing campaign for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council has received fresh support from all four members of the Visegrad Group during a high-level diplomatic meeting in New York. The development came during the first V4-India Foreign Ministers' Meeting, held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar represented India at the meeting, while the Visegrad Group was represented by its four member states: Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The four Central European countries expressed collective support for India's demand for permanent membership of the United Nations' top decision-making body. Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár said after the meeting that the V4 countries shared the position that India should have a permanent place on the Security Council. 

First V4-India Foreign Ministers' Meeting Held in New York

The meeting marked the first foreign ministers' meeting between India and the Visegrad Group in the V4-India format. Jaishankar described the gathering as a new historic occasion and said the discussions had opened a new channel for structured engagement between India and the four Central European nations. The meeting was not limited to India's Security Council campaign. The ministers also discussed ways to build stronger political, economic and strategic relations between India and the V4 countries. The participating countries agreed to continue the new format through regular engagement. Among the outcomes was an agreement to hold annual meetings of foreign ministers, creating a recurring platform for discussions on bilateral and international issues.

What Is the Visegrad Group?

The Visegrad Group is a regional grouping consisting of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. The four countries cooperate on a range of political, economic, security and regional issues. The group was established in 1991 and has developed into an important platform for coordination among its members. The first V4-India foreign ministers' meeting provides a new framework for the four countries to engage collectively with New Delhi rather than relying only on individual bilateral relationships. The format could allow India and the V4 countries to discuss areas of shared interest more regularly, including trade, technology, defence, innovation, education and connectivity.

Why India Is Seeking Permanent UNSC Membership

India has for years called for reform of the United Nations Security Council, arguing that the current structure does not adequately reflect today's global political and economic realities. The Security Council currently has 15 members. Five countries hold permanent seats: the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom. The remaining 10 members are elected for two-year terms. India has repeatedly sought permanent membership as part of its broader campaign for reform of global institutions. New Delhi has also worked with Brazil, Germany and Japan through the G4 grouping to push for an expansion of the Security Council's permanent and non-permanent membership.

V4 Countries Back India's UNSC Demand

The latest support came directly from the four members of the Visegrad Group.

Slovakia's Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár said the V4 countries agreed that India should be represented as a permanent member of the Security Council. He referred to India's position within the Global South and its role in the Indo-Pacific while explaining the group's position. The announcement is significant in the context of India's broader diplomatic effort to secure international backing for Security Council reform. However, the support of individual countries or regional groups does not itself change the composition of the Security Council. Any expansion requires a formal reform process involving the wider UN membership and amendments to the UN Charter.

India and V4 Expand Cooperation Beyond UNSC

The Security Council issue was only one part of the discussions in New York. India and the V4 countries also discussed cooperation in defence, technology, innovation, space, connectivity and people-to-people relations. The countries agreed to work toward greater economic engagement, including an annual business forum. The discussions also reflected an effort to create a more institutionalised relationship between India and the four Central European nations. Regular foreign ministers' meetings could provide a platform for discussing emerging global developments as well as specific areas of bilateral cooperation.

Focus on Trade, Technology and Innovation

Economic and technological cooperation was another important part of the V4-India discussions. The countries identified opportunities to strengthen cooperation in technology and innovation while also looking at trade and business links. An annual business forum was proposed as part of efforts to give the economic relationship a more regular structure. Defence and security cooperation were also discussed, alongside areas such as education, connectivity and space. For India, engagement with Central European countries provides another channel for expanding its European partnerships across sectors that extend beyond traditional diplomatic relations.

Jaishankar Holds Talks During UN General Assembly

The V4-India meeting took place during a busy period of diplomatic engagement in New York as world leaders and ministers gathered for the 81st United Nations General Assembly. Jaishankar held discussions with European counterparts and participated in meetings covering international affairs, multilateral cooperation and India's relations with different countries and regional groupings. The V4 meeting provided a separate platform for India to engage collectively with Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The participating ministers also exchanged views on wider international developments, including geopolitical issues affecting Europe and the wider international system.

What Does the V4 Support Mean for India's UNSC Campaign?

The V4 countries' backing adds to the list of international support expressed for India's demand for permanent membership. India's campaign has received support from several major countries and regional partners over the years, while the broader reform process remains under negotiation at the United Nations. The latest V4 position therefore forms part of a wider diplomatic conversation about how the Security Council should be structured and whether its membership should be expanded. The question of new permanent members, the number of additional seats and the powers that new permanent members would receive remain among the issues being discussed in the broader reform process.

India-V4 Engagement to Continue

The first V4-India foreign ministers' meeting has established a new format for engagement between India and the four Central European countries. The decision to hold annual foreign ministers' meetings means that the dialogue is expected to continue beyond the UN General Assembly session. The planned business forum is also intended to create a more regular channel for economic discussions. For India, the new format provides another diplomatic platform for engagement with European countries, while the V4 nations can use it to develop cooperation with New Delhi across multiple sectors. The September 2026 meeting in New York therefore combined India's long-running push for UN Security Council Reform with a broader effort to strengthen political, economic and strategic cooperation between India and the four Visegrad countries.

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