A resolution backing India's quest for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has been referred to the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs for necessary action, two weeks after President Barack Obama endorsed its candidature during his visit to New Delhi.
The House Resolution 1729 by Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-Florida) gives the "sense of the House of Representatives that the U.N. should forthwith take the procedural actions necessary to amend Article 23 of the Charter of the United Nations to establish India as a permanent member of the 15-member body."
Lauding New Delhi's commitment to global peace and development of the South Asian region, the resolution noted that India is the largest democratic country in the world in which all political views are freely expressed and respected.
With over one billion citizens residing within its borders, the world's second-most populous country is one of the largest contributors of troops to U.N.-mandated peacekeeping missions, it said.
The resolution also said that India had demonstrated a strong commitment to global peace and promotion of the peaceful development of the South Asian region.
The resolution came after Washington sounded out other UNSC members on the reforms of the apex body, but has said it could not set a target date for its expansion.
Prime Minister David Cameron of the UK, one of the permanent members of the UNSC, during his meeting with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit, had extended his country's support for India's candidature.
China, the only veto-wielding permanent member of the UNSC that has not publicly endorsed India's candidacy, said it favored "democratic and patient consultations" on reforms of the 15-member body.
Russia, though not opposed to India's candidature, is reportedly against taking any hasty decision in the expansion of the UNSC saying the issue needs more than just the two-thirds majority in the General Assembly -- a process that may take many years.
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