Empty Ambition

When was the last time you read or saw something about India and the G20? And what do you recall from that memory?

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Like me, for many readers, the answers are most likely to be: When India was in the presidency a couple of years ago, and the posters and hoardings about India’s presidency.

If asked what outcomes were achieved in that presidency or what plans exist to follow up with what we initiated, I do not have an answer because, like you, I do not know. The G20 thing was an opportunity for an event, and that event is over.

A few days ago, again, India went to the United Nations and asked that the institution reform itself. Formed in 1945 just after World War 2 ended and two years before Indian independence, the UN Security Council retains the same five permanent members. When India uses the words UN reform, what we mean is that we also want a permanent seat in the Security Council, with a veto.

In the words of our foreign minister, ‘The historical injustice done to Africa should be redressed. Both permanent and non-permanent membership of the Council must be expanded. A reformed Council must be truly representative. And India stands ready to assume greater responsibilities.”

These greater responsibilities that we are ready to assume is the subject of this piece. It is fine to have ambition; the question is what we want to do with it.