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www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know News India Times (June 20, 2026 - June 26, 2026) June 26, 2026 12 India India Rejects UNSC Reform ‘Elements Paper’, Calls Non-Permanent-Only Expansion “Bordering on Failure” -UNITED NATIONS I ndia has sharply rejected the “Elements Paper” on United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reform, warning that it risks entrenching existing power imbalances instead of addressing them. At the Inter Governmental Negotiations (IGN) meeting at the UN Headquarters in NewYork June 15th, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, P. Harish, set out a detailed critique of the Paper, making it clear that India believes only a credible expansion of the permanent membership, alongside fair regional representation, can deliver the balance, equity and effectiveness the UN system urgently needs. India has insisted that expansion confined to the non-permanent category is unacceptable. “UNSC reform would be grossly inadequate, bordering on failure, if expansion is limited only to the non-per- manent category as it would fundamentally not change the decision-making power structure of the P5,” Harish declared. Restating its expectation from the long awaited reform process, Harish said countries and groups have “waited this long for real and meaningful reforms,” not adjust- ments that leave the core power structure intact. He said India’s long-standing advocacy for expan- sion in the permanent category was an effort “to bring in a greater sense of balance and equity in the Security Council, and change the decision-making parameters of the P5.” Conceptual Objection - India’s central substantive ob- jection focused on the introduction of a “Fixed Regional Seats” concept, which the Elements Paper presented as a way of expanding the permanent category. According to it, longer-term seats would be notionally allocated to regions, but the countries elected to them would serve in their national capacity and not formally represent those regions. India argued that does not meaningfully expand the permanent category and does not fulfill the principle of genuine regional representation. Harish warned that it could undermine the position of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), a cross-regional group seeking better repre- sentation which India has consistently supported. Harish also pointed out that the idea seemed to blur distinction between veto power and permanency, confer- ring veto-like influence on the ten elected non-perma- nent members (E10). Terminological Objection - India also objected to the suggestion in the Elements Paper for clarification on the notion of “permanency”. “The definition of a permanent seat needs no further elaboration,” Harish said, point- ing out that Article 23 of the UN Charter already clearly distinguishes between permanent and non-permanent members. He stressed that any current or future perma- nent member must be treated strictly in accordance with the Charter’s provisions. Disregarding Majority Support - Another major criticism by India concerned the way support for Se- curity Council expansion was undermined in the Ele- ments Paper, which referred to it as the position of “a significant number of delegations”. India argued that described thus, it understated broad and sustained majority support for meaningful expansion. That sup- port, India noted, has been repeatedly expressed in national statements at the IGN and through coalitions such as the L.69 group and the G4. Vague Interpretations - India was equally critical of how the Elements Paper categorized positions as “convergences” and “divergences”. Demanding clear, objective definitions of these terms, India cautioned against vague or subjective usage. Harish underlined that “convergence” does not automatically mean unanimity or even a clear majority, and insisted that such labels must not be left to the personal interpre- tations of the co-Chairs. Omissions - India also criticized the Paper for omitting the widely recognized demand to enhance African representation on the Council, a long-standing and central element of most reform proposals. Procedural Delay - India also objected to the delay in procedure in which the Elements Paper was circulated, giving member states barely two working days to for- mulate and submit responses. Harish pointed out that similar Elements Papers over the last two years had suf- fered from the same limitations, suggesting a pattern that undermines confidence in the process. Insisting that genuine negotiations cannot proceed without a concrete draft, India called for a text with clearly defined milestones and timelines. The IGN, Har- ish said, “cannot be fundamentally different from other UN processes, wherein negotiations are held on the basis of a text.” India concluded by reaffirming its readiness to support all “earnest efforts” by the co-Chairs and member states towards authentic Security Council reform. By Archana Adalja T he European Union will formally sign its a land- mark trade deal with India by the end of this year, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said onWednesday. • Von der Leyen provided an update on the EU’s free trade agreement with India after she met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G7 summit in France. • “Since we have concluded the mother of all trade deals, we have been moving fast to deliver on our com- mitments. We will sign the Free Trade Agreement by the end of the year,” von der Leyen wrote on X. • In January, India and the EU struck a long-delayed deal that will slash tariffs on most goods, aiming to boost two-way trade and reduce reliance on the U.S. amid growing global trade tensions. Signing of the deal by the end of this year could allow it to enter force in 2027. • The deal is forecast to double EU exports to India by 2032 by eliminating or reducing tariffs in 96.6% of traded goods by value, and will lead to savings of 4 billion ($4.64 billion) in duties for European companies, the EU said. -Reuters EU And India Will Formally Sign Free Trade Deal By End-2026, Says EU Chief PHOTO:REUTERS/ALTAF HUSSAIN/FILE PHOTO Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hold a joint press statement at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, January 27, 2026. UN PHOTO - MANUEL ELÍAS Inter Governmental Negotiations meeting June 15, 2026 at the UN.