Bhutan PM backs India and Japan for permanent UNSC seats, calls for sweeping UN reforms

Speaking at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) in New York, Tobgay urged world leaders to adopt a multilateral system that is both more representative and effective.

"Bhutan supports reform of the United Nations, including reform of the Security Council, expanding both permanent and non-permanent membership. A reformed Security Council must include deserving nations such as India and Japan alongside other capable and leading countries to reflect today’s complex realities," he said.

Tobgay’s remarks came amid renewed momentum around UNSC reform. Earlier in the week, foreign ministers of the BRICS nations—meeting on the sidelines of the UNGA80—reaffirmed their backing for India and Brazil’s greater role in the UN system.

"Recalling the 2022 Beijing and 2023 Johannesburg II Leaders’ Declarations, China and Russia, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, reiterated their support for the aspirations of Brazil and India to play a greater role in the United Nations, including its Security Council," the Brics statement said.

Together with governance reforms, the Bhutanese leader drew attention to pressing global concerns, pointing to climate change, entrenched poverty, and armed conflicts as urgent threats.

"A planet in a climate crisis, persistent poverty, and conflicts that shatter lives and erode trust among our nations," Tobgay said, underscoring the scale of challenges confronting the UN.

Currently, the UNSC has 15 members, split between permanent and non-permanent seats.

Five nations—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—hold permanent membership with veto power.

This veto has often been exercised to block action on conflicts, sanctions, and peacekeeping missions, reflecting the strategic priorities of the permanent members rather than global consensus.

The other 10 seats are allocated to non-permanent members, elected by the UN General Assembly for staggered two-year terms, with regional distribution ensuring broader representation.