French President supports India's bid for permanent membership in UNSC

French President Emmanuel Macron has supported India's bid for permanent membership in a reformed United Nations Security Council, while advocating the expansion of the powerful UN body.

"We have a Security Council that is blocked...Let's make the UN more efficient. We have to make it more representative," Macron said at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.

"That's why," he said, "France is in favour of the Security Council being expanded. Germany, Japan, India, and Brazil should be permanent members, as well as two countries that Africa will decide to represent it."

India has been at the forefront of efforts at the UN to push for urgent long-pending reform of the Security Council, emphasising that it rightly deserves a place at the UN high table as a permanent member. India argues that the 15-nation council founded in 1945 is not fit for purpose in the 21st Century and does not reflect contemporary geo-political realities.

At present, the UNSC comprises fi