India seeks bigger UN General Assembly role in selecting next secretary-general

India has called for a more substantial role for the United Nations General Assembly in selecting the next UN secretary-general and pressed for an expansion of the Security Council's membership, arguing that long-pending reforms can no longer be deferred. Addressing the UN General Assembly plenary on revitalising the body's work, Indian MP CP Joshi said geographical balance must guide the selection of the next secretary-general, alongside the need to appoint the most suitable candidate at a time of mounting geopolitical divisions. "The selection of the next UN Secretary-General is taking place at a critical juncture," Joshi said, according to a statement shared by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations on X. He added that India supported a greater role for the General Assembly in the appointment process and would work with other member states towards that objective. #WATCH | Member of Parliament C.P. Joshi delivered India's statement at the UNGA plenary on the revitalization of the work of the General Assembly. During his address, MP Joshi said, "India aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement... I reiterate India's commitment to strengthening and revitalizing the central role of the UN General Assembly... As highlighted in Resolution 79/327, no other UN organ can match the General Assembly in terms of universality and representativeness. It is the intergovernmental nature of the General Assembly that accords it this central position. This status must be respected not merely in words but also in the true spirit of its mandate. Regarding working methods, we see scope for improvement in three areas. First, the agenda should be made more practical and manageable. Similar or overlapping topics should be consolidated, and -- where appropriate -- deliberations on certain subjects could take place at intervals of two or three years. This would allow discussions to be more meaningful, well-considered, and focused. Second, better coordination, coherence, and complementarity should be ensured among the General Assembly's Main Committees, as well as between these committees and the plenary sessions of the Assembly. Third, the Human Rights Council was established two decades ago as a subsidiary intergovernmental body of the General Assembly with a specific mandate. Duplicating its work in New York is unnecessary; the process needs to be streamlined." He adds, "Regarding the Office of the President of the General Assembly, India attaches great importance to this vital pillar of the Assembly and fully supports its smooth functioning. We reaffirm our commitment to working in alignment with the President's priorities. India will continue its efforts to strengthen the efficiency, transparency, accountability, and institutional memory of this office. The selection of the next UN Secretary-General is taking place at a critical juncture. The United Nations faces serious challenges, and the need for reform is greater than ever. Geopolitical fragmentation is also undermining the UN's ability to fulfill its core mandates, particularly the maintenance of international peace and security. In this context, it is essential that the best candidate be appointed to this position. As with appointments to other senior leadership roles within the UN, geographical balance must be a guiding principle of this process. India supports a more significant role for the General Assembly in this process and looks forward to working with other member states to achieve this objective. We welcome the progress made following the adoption of Resolution 79/327. It is noteworthy that this resolution recognizes the UN-80 initiative as a useful vehicle for creating a more efficient, effective, dynamic, and responsive United Nations -- one that includes the General Assembly. Ensuring the effective and efficient implementation of mandates related to the UN's three main pillars -- peace and security, development, and human rights -- is crucial. We remain ambitious regarding the potential of the UN-80 initiative. The revitalization of the General Assembly should be pursued as part of broader, comprehensive UN reforms to make the organization more representative, effective, and capable of fulfilling its objectives. The revitalization of key UN organs cannot be limited to the General Assembly alone. The Security Council's inability to effectively discharge its mandate of maintaining international peace and security casts doubt on the functioning of the United Nations as a whole. Effective reform of the Security Council, including an expansion of membership in both permanent and elected categories, can no longer be postponed. It is essential that the Security Council reflects today's global realities and enables the United Nations to address current challenges. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that India will continue to work constructively and in good faith with all member states to strengthen the functioning of the General Assembly." (Source: X/Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, New York) -- ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2026 Joshi also renewed India's call for comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council, including an expansion of both permanent and elected membership categories. He said the Council must reflect contemporary global realities and be better equipped to address international peace and security challenges. "The Security Council's inability to effectively discharge its mandate of maintaining international peace and security casts doubt on the functioning of the United Nations as a whole," he said, stressing that effective reform could no longer be postponed. Joshi outlined three areas where India believes the General Assembly's working methods could be improved. These include streamlining its agenda, strengthening coordination between its main committees and plenary sessions, and avoiding duplication of the Human Rights Council's work in New York. He said overlapping agenda items should be consolidated and discussions on some subjects could be held every two or three years, where appropriate, to make deliberations more focused and meaningful. On coordination, India called for greater coherence and complementarity among the Assembly's main committees and between the committees and plenary sessions. Joshi also argued that the Human Rights Council, established as a subsidiary body of the General Assembly with a defined mandate, should not have its work unnecessarily replicated elsewhere. India reiterated its support for the Office of the President of the General Assembly, pledging to contribute to greater efficiency, transparency and accountability, as well as the preservation of institutional memory. Joshi said revitalising the General Assembly should form part of a wider reform effort across the United Nations, rather than being treated as an isolated exercise. He welcomed progress following the adoption of Resolution 79/327 and described the UN-80 initiative as an opportunity to make the organisation more efficient, responsive and effective. He also emphasised the need to implement mandates across the UN's three principal pillars: peace and security, development, and human rights. India aligned itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and reaffirmed the General Assembly's central position in the UN system. Joshi cited the body's universal membership and representative character, arguing that its status must be respected in practice as well as in principle. The intervention comes amid continuing calls for changes to the UN's institutional structure and decision-making processes, particularly the Security Council, whose composition reflects the international order established after the Second World War. India has long advocated Security Council expansion and a greater role for developing countries in global governance.