- V4 nations backed India’s permanent UN Security Council seat.
- Agreed to expand cooperation across economy, technology, defence.
- Annual foreign ministers’ meetings and business forum planned.
India Permanent UN Security Council Bid: India’s campaign for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council received fresh backing from four Central European countries as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held the first Visegrád Group (V4)-India foreign ministers’ meeting on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York.
Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, which make up the V4, agreed with India to expand cooperation across political, economic, technology, defence, cultural and people-to-people ties. The countries also backed India’s demand for permanent membership of the UN Security Council.
The meeting also produced plans for annual foreign ministers’ meetings and an annual business forum, giving the new V4-India format a more regular institutional framework.
New India-V4 Framework
Jaishankar described the first high-level meeting as a significant moment in India’s engagement with the four Central European nations.
Jaishankar said, “It was, in a sense, a new historic occasion.”
The minister said the discussions were productive and resulted in an agreement to maintain regular political and economic engagement.
“It was a very, very productive meeting. What we agreed was that since India’s relationship with the European Union itself is deepening, with the V4 we would take some special initiatives to create an annual business forum,” he added.
Jaishankar added that the foreign ministers had reached a “consensus” on meeting every year.
The proposed cooperation will extend beyond trade. India and the V4 countries are looking at greater collaboration in technology and innovation, along with areas such as space, connectivity and people-to-people mobility. Jaishankar also highlighted the scope for reviving defence cooperation between India and the four European countries.
The talks also covered major international developments, including the Ukraine conflict and the situation in the Gulf. Jaishankar described the engagement as “very worthwhile” and “very productive”.
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V4 Backs India’s UNSC Bid
The meeting also produced a clear statement of support for India’s long-running campaign for permanent membership of the Security Council. Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár said the four V4 countries supported India’s inclusion as a permanent member.
He said, “We all agree as V4 countries that India as a part of the Global South, upcoming superpower in the Indo-Pacific region, must be at the table as the permanent member of the UN Security Council.”
The endorsement adds to India’s existing diplomatic efforts to build support for reform of the Council.
The Security Council currently has 15 members, including five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The remaining 10 seats are held by countries elected for two-year terms.
India has continued to argue that the composition of the Council needs to reflect present-day geopolitical realities. New Delhi has also formally launched its campaign for a non-permanent Security Council term for 2028-29, while continuing its broader push for permanent membership.
Why The V4 Support Matters
The V4 endorsement comes as India seeks wider backing for reform of the UN’s principal body dealing with international peace and security.
India’s case has traditionally focused on its demographic weight, economic significance, role in UN peacekeeping and growing involvement in global diplomacy. New Delhi has also advocated greater representation for regions that it argues remain under-represented in the Council’s permanent structure.
The V4 grouping provides another European channel for that diplomatic outreach. The four countries have now joined a broader group of nations that have expressed support for India’s permanent membership aspirations.
At the same time, securing a permanent seat would require a broader UN reform process. The Council’s current structure remains tied to the post-World War II international order, while proposals for expansion have generated differing views among member states.
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Defence, Technology On Agenda
For India, the new V4 mechanism is not limited to the Security Council campaign.
Jaishankar said the countries would seek to deepen economic engagement through the proposed annual business forum. Technology, innovation, research and education are also expected to feature more prominently in future cooperation.
Defence is another area where India sees room to expand existing relationships. The minister pointed to the historical defence links between India and the V4 nations and said New Delhi wants to build on that foundation.
The discussions also included space cooperation, connectivity and greater movement of people. Indian students are already present across the four V4 countries, making education and mobility an important part of the relationship.
The V4 was established in 1991 by Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia, with the Czech Republic and Slovakia becoming separate members following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. The grouping takes its name from Visegrád, Hungary, where its founding declaration was signed.
