Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, while addressing the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) in New York, made a strong appeal for long-overdue reforms in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). He stressed the need for the Council to become more representative and credible to reflect the realities of the modern world. In his address, Tobgay specifically endorsed India and Japan as deserving candidates for permanent membership in the UNSC, describing them as capable nations whose inclusion would strengthen the global body. His remarks underscored Bhutan’s firm belief that reforms are necessary for the United Nations to remain relevant in the face of pressing global challenges.
Tobgay’s statement was both clear and direct, reflecting Bhutan’s position on the urgent need for inclusivity within the UN system. He stated that the UNSC must not only expand its non-permanent membership but also include new permanent members, with India and Japan among the most deserving. He explained that the current structure, which was shaped in the aftermath of World War II, fails to address today’s complex global order, where emerging powers and influential nations remain excluded from decision-making. This, according to him, undermines the credibility and effectiveness of the United Nations as a whole.
His comments came at a time when momentum for UNSC reform has been steadily building. Just recently, the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting, held on the sidelines of the UNGA80, reiterated its support for the aspirations of India and Brazil to play a greater role in the United Nations, including the Security Council. The official BRICS statement recalled the Beijing Declaration of 2022 and the Johannesburg II Declaration of 2023, in which both China and Russia—who already enjoy permanent membership—affirmed their support for India and Brazil’s inclusion in the Council. This growing consensus highlights a shift in international dialogue toward recognizing the importance of expanding permanent representation.
Beyond the issue of UNSC reform, Tobgay used his platform to shed light on other urgent global challenges. He warned that the world is grappling with a climate crisis that threatens the very survival of the planet, persistent poverty that continues to marginalize millions, and conflicts that devastate lives and erode trust among nations. According to him, these crises demand stronger multilateralism, which can only be achieved if the United Nations itself is restructured to reflect today’s geopolitical and socio-economic realities.
Currently, the Security Council consists of 15 members, divided into permanent and non-permanent seats. Five countries—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—hold permanent seats and wield veto power, allowing them to block any substantive resolution regardless of majority support. Over the years, this veto privilege has often been criticized, as it has been used to stall actions on conflicts, peacekeeping operations, and sanctions, reflecting the strategic interests of individual permanent members rather than the collective interest of the global community.
The remaining 10 non-permanent seats are distributed regionally and filled through elections by the UN General Assembly for staggered two-year terms. While this system provides rotational representation, critics argue that it does not go far enough to accommodate emerging powers and influential nations like India, Japan, Brazil, and others. Prime Minister Tobgay’s call for reforms thus reflects a broader demand from the Global South and many developing nations, who believe that the UNSC in its current form is outdated and unrepresentative of the multipolar world of today.
By openly backing India and Japan for permanent seats, Bhutan has aligned itself with the growing call for structural reforms in the Security Council. Tobgay’s remarks add to the international pressure on the United Nations to make meaningful changes that will enhance both its legitimacy and its ability to tackle the enormous challenges that confront humanity.
