New Delhi

UN Secretary-General's Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric on Saturday backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark that reform of the UN Security Council "can no longer be delayed", saying the current structure with five permanent members no longer reflects the realities of the 21st century and the UN must adapt to the world of 2026.

Responding to PM Modi's opening remarks at the 18th BRICS Summit that reform of the UN Security Council "cannot be postponed any longer", Dujarric said there was a fundamental need to reform the Council and other international institutions.

"I think if you listen to what the Secretary-General has been saying, since he got into office and, frankly, his predecessor as well, is that there is a fundamental need for reform of the Security Council. The heart of the peace and security architecture of the United Nations is the Security Council. The fact that you look at the way the Council is made up now, of the 5 permanent members, it is no longer a reflection of the 21st century. Whether it is the Security Council or the international financial institutions or all sorts of other international institutions, they need to reflect 2026, and no longer 1945. It is high time that we adapt this organisation to the realities of the world so it is truly representative and even more effective," Dujarric told ANI.

PM Modi, while addressing the BRICS session on inclusive global governance and strengthening multilateralism, said the current global governance structure resembled a "pyramid" in which power and decision-making were concentrated at the top while countries affected by those decisions had limited ability to shape them.

#WATCH | Delhi: Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, says, "The Secretary-General has no input in the election but I think he has been a champion of not only gender equality but in terms of acting. We now have gender equality and gender parity across the… pic.twitter.com/6VkZzGnaJ5

— ANI (@ANI) September 12, 2026

He said the Global South was at the forefront of global crises but remained in the "back row" of decision-making, and proposed transforming the "pyramid of privilege" into a "platform of partnership" where every country has a voice and stake.

PM Modi proposed that BRICS countries collectively prepare 10 proposals for global governance reform, which could be formulated into a BRICS Reform Roadmap by the next summit. He said the roadmap should focus on three areas—representation, responsiveness, and rule-making. On representation, the Prime Minister said reform of the UN Security Council could no longer be delayed and that text-based negotiations should be linked to a fixed timeframe and clear outcomes.

Furthermore, Dujarric spoke about UN Secretary-General António Guterres' meeting with PM Modi, saying the two discussed global conflicts, including in the Middle East and Ukraine.

"During the meeting the Secretary-General had with your PM yesterday, they discussed the conflicts around the world, including in the Middle East as well as Ukraine. The Secretary-General thinks that India has a big role to play as a bridge builder, as a way to help the fighting sides communicate and reach a peaceful settlement," he said.

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On India's BRICS presidency and the New Delhi Declaration, Dujarric congratulated PM Modi on India's leadership of the grouping and said the adoption of a joint declaration was a credit to India's presidency.