India’s leadership traits post-G20 may help host nation get permanent UNSC seat: Garcetti

New Delhi, Aug 27 : Despite China being a stumbling block in India’s quest to gain permanent membership of UN Security Council, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti on Saturday sounded optimistic of India getting the coveted seat, considering how countries see the importance of India’s leadership after G20 New Delhi Summit.

Nevertheless, the United States very strongly supports the expansion of the UN Security Council in support of India’s desire, he told UNI here.

“There are rules inside the United Nations, and we are very supportive of India in trying to get as many votes as they can to be able to have, but primarily it has been the objection of, unfortunately, another country (China), not the United States,” Garcetti said.

“… and I think that more countries will see how important India’s leadership is after G20, and I would hope that will help India’s campaign to bring more and more supporters, and that one day soon we may be able to see that finally come to fruition,” he added.

China is the only country among five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that is opposing India’s entry into the highest body of UN.

“We need institutions to stay up with the times, and as new nations rise, we should see not just, I mean, we saw this at the BRICS Summit, not just groups of, smaller groups of countries, but the main one, the United Nations, should reflect equally the power and the importance of regions and countries,” Garcetti said.

Asked how he sees India’s Presidency of the G20, the US Ambassador said it was amazing and impressive. “We want to see not only a successful G20 for the world, but to lift up India’s leadership in areas like digital public infrastructure, environment and life initiative, alternative medicine. We want to show how Indian values can contribute to global good,” he said.

Also, India has been a great bridge between the past and the future, between the east and the west, between the north and the south, Garcetti said.

“It’s been amazing. I’ve been very impressed. I’ve been impressed in different cities. I’ve been impressed with the geographical breadth, but I’ve also been impressed with the substantive depth, whether it’s technology, culture, trade, tourism, arts, security, homeland security. We looked at so many topics in 60 cities, and India has pulled off a beautiful, I think, convening of people from all around the world,” he added.

Asked if there is something that the US can do more than sanctioning and announcing rewards to curb terrorists moving freely in Pakistan, Garcetti said these measures are the strongest ways forward.

“We have never worked more closely together, whether it’s the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, sharing of intelligence, or standing against terrorism in world bodies. And we’ve been clear, whether it’s in India’s neighbor or whether it’s anywhere around the world, you know, there are limits to what we can do. We think that sanctions, sharing of intelligence, and demanding of international justice are the strongest ways forward,” he said.

“But we stay engaged in Pakistan, one, because it’s important for the world, and it’s also important for India that we have influence, and we’ll continue being a voice, as we have powerfully in recent months, against terrorism and terrorists that would emanate from Pakistan that would affect India or any other country,” Garcetti added.

On former US President Barack Obama’s comments on the minorities’ issues in India, Garcetti said he would rather live in a democracy than in an autocracy, and added that the best way to fight speech is to exercise the right to speak out.

“We all believe very strongly in the freedom of speech. People can have opinions and should be able to express them when we agree with them or whether we disagree with them. But I would say this.

Democracy and diversity are difficult, but they’re better than the alternative. I’d much rather live in a diverse country like India or the United States than one that only has one culture or religion or tradition,” he said.

“And I’d rather live in a democracy than live in an autocracy. And so I would hope that we have the space and the place to embrace dissent, to not ask people to not speak, but to use, I always said, the best way to fight speech that you don’t like is to use your right to speak out,” he added.

Asked the reason for a huge transformation in the relationship between India and the US over the last 2-3 decades, Garcetti said historically both the countries have been natural friends.

“Earlier in history, the United States advocated for India’s independence. President Roosevelt played a critical role with Winston Churchill, and I think we’ve been natural friends for a long time, even if in the middle geopolitics got in the way,” he said.

“The friendship between people has just deepened over time. Indians migrating to the US, Indians studying in the United States, and Americans who have come here, companies and people for decades. I think what’s changed, though, is we’ve had, across five different presidents, Democrats and Republicans, different administrations and parties here, a deepening of this friendship among leaders, among businesses and institutions, and people,” he said.

The friendship also has transformed as both countries need each other economically and strategically, Garcetti said. “American culture is everywhere here. Increasingly, Indian culture is in America. One in four Americans has been treated by an Indian doctor. So this is personal now, and it’s personal for our leaders, Prime Minister Modi and President Biden. It’s personal for our governments, and it’s personal for our people,” he said.

“And I think it’s because we’re natural friends, but also because we need each other. We need each other at this moment, economically, strategically, and we recognize that when we are together, it’s not just India plus America, it’s India times America,” Garcetti added.