United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on September 8 described India as "the country of the world" and a "very important" partner in the multilateral system but said it is for the members and not him to decide on its UN Security Council membership.
Addressing a press conference here ahead of the G20 Summit, he made a strong pitch for immediate reforms to UNSC and other multilateral institutions, as he asserted that the future of the world is multipolar but "our multilateral institutions reflect a bygone age".
Asked whether it was time for India to become a member of the UNSC, he said, "It is not for me to decide who would be in UNSC, it is for the members." "But it is obvious that India is today the country of the world with the largest population and it is a very important partner in the multilateral system," he said.
