Confident of India becoming permanent member of UNSC: Jaishankar

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar expressed confidence in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that India would become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) "one day" and said the work in this direction was progressing step by step.

The minister said it takes a long and patient effort for getting permanent membership of the council.

"Well, I will hope soon. But I am realistic enough to know that it is a long and patient effort. We are not lacking in patience and not lacking in our perseverance and we are not lacking in our aspirations. We will get that one day. I am very confident and it is progressing step by step," he said in the Upper House.

Jaishankar was replying to a query from Vijila Sathyananth (AIADMK) on India's entry into the UNSC as a permanent member.

Currently, there are five permanent members of the UNSC -- China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

On India's S-400 missile deal with Russia, Jaishankar assured the members that the country had made it "very clear" to everybody that it took decisions on merits.

"We will not be influenced by other countries on what we do in terms of our national security and defence. If we have committed to the S-400 agreement, which we have, then other countries need to respect that decision," he said.

India and Russia have signed the USD 5 billion S-400 air defence system deal.

Talking about India's relations with the US following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Houston visit, the minister said: "We heard two-three important messages from Houston. One, the Indian community stands united in support of India. They came to Houston to express support for India, the changes in India...I think that is important and should be welcomed."
"But when it comes to the Neighbourhood First policy, our objective today is that all our neighbours work with us. In different ways, we have connectivity with them."