"India is one of the biggest members of the United Nation. Of course, it plays a really big role in Southeast Asia," said Uzbekistan's ambassador to India

India assumed the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council on August 1, following which Uzbekistan Ambassador to India, Dilshod Akhatov voiced his support to Indian candidature to obtain the status of a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Earlier in the month, the President-elect of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Abdulla Shahid during his visit to India affirmed his support to the ongoing campaign for UNSC reform, in a bid to ensure India a permanent seat at the UNSC. Currently, the process is stalled at the United Nations General Assembly in the Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN).

"India is one of the biggest members of the United Nations. Of course, it plays a really big role in Southeast Asia. India's non-permanent membership tenure will be an important event for the world community for such key body for the United Nations." Akhatov told ANI.

"Generally, Uzbekistan supports Indian candidature to obtain the status of a permanent member of UNSC and we, of course, have always been supported the candidature of no permanent members in the UN," he added.

The envoy further acknowledged India's work to tackle terrorism and issues concerning the ongoing development in Afghanistan. On Sunday, India assumed the rotating presidency of the UNSC and is set to host signature events related to maritime security, peacekeeping, and counterterrorism during the month.

India took over the presidency from France. Ambassador of India to United Nations, TS Tirumurti thanked France Permanent Representative to the UN, Nicolas de Riviere, for steering the UN Security Council in the month of July. India will also be organising a solemn event in memory of peacekeepers. Tirumurti apprised that the UN Security Council will also have on its agenda several important meetings including Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Yemen, and the Middle East.

This is India's first presidency in the UNSC during its 2021-2022 tenure as a non-permanent member. The two-year tenure of India as a non-permanent member of the UNSC began on January 01, 2021. UNSC intends to adopting important resolutions on Somalia, Mali and UN Interim Force in Lebanon, he added.

The powerful UN body aims to take a holistic approach to the issue of maritime security to safeguard common prosperity and other security interests.