Obama Backs India For U.N. Security Council

President Obama ended his three-day trip to India on a good note, backing India’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. He made the announcement in a speech to India’s Parliament, saying, "The just and sustainable international order that America seeks includes a United Nations that is efficient, effective, credible and legitimate. That is why I can say today—in the years ahead, I look forward to a reformed U.N. Security Council that includes India as a permanent member." India has sought membership on the Security Council for years. However, Obama’s endorsement is more of a diplomatic gesture, intended to strengthen ties between India and the U.S., than the first step toward membership, because the reforms Obama mentioned could take years to come about. Nevertheless, Pakistan criticized the endorsement, saying that India is in flagrant violation of U.N. resolutions. The only other country the U.S. has endorsed for permanent membership is Japan.