Timor-Leste President José Manuel Ramos-Horta has renewed his strong backing for India to secure a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, arguing that the country's size, democratic credentials, and civilisational depth make its continued exclusion from the council's permanent membership 'difficult to justify.' The remarks were made in an interview in Washington on 24 September 2026.

Ramos-Horta's Case for India

'I will always support India's aspirations for being a permanent member of the Security Council,' Ramos-Horta said. He added that he had been making this argument for years. 'It makes absolutely no sense that a country of the dimensions of India should remain outside its permanent membership,' he said.

His argument extended beyond the conventional metrics of population, territory, and economic output. 'India in itself is a living civilisation,' he said, pointing to the country's linguistic, religious, and cultural plurality. He also highlighted India's unbroken democratic record since independence — 'Never a coup. Never a reversal of democracy through military coups' — as a distinguishing factor among nations of comparable size and influence.

From Poverty to Global Standing

Ramos-Horta traced India's trajectory from widespread poverty in the 1950s and 1960s to its current prominence in science, technology, and medicine. He suggested that India had, if anything, understated its own global significance even as its economy expanded and its nationals rose to leadership positions in fields such as information technology. He credited Mahatma Gandhi's legacy as a possible factor behind India's peaceful, civilian-led political continuity.

India–Timor-Leste Ties: Health, Agriculture and Education

On the question of bilateral cooperation, Ramos-Horta identified healthcare and food security as priority areas. He pointed to India's pharmaceutical and medical equipment industries as natural partners for Timor-Leste's development needs, and flagged opportunities in agriculture.

Education links between the two countries are already active, the president said. Timorese students currently pursue studies in India, while several hundred Indian medical students attend a medical school in Timor-Leste, accompanied by Indian teachers. Ramos-Horta described this arrangement as mutually beneficial and called for expanded cooperation in multilateral forums.

India and the Global South

The president contextualised India's global role through the lens of solidarity among developing nations. He noted that India had extended assistance to African countries — particularly in East Africa — even during periods of severe domestic poverty, calling that record an early expression of South-South cooperation.

Ramos-Horta also weighed in on global governance more broadly. He argued that the G7 no longer adequately represents the world economy and called for the G20 to take on a more central role. 'G7 on its own does not really represent the world economy,' he said, citing the economic weight of India, China, and Brazil.

Background: India and UNSC Reform

The UN Security Council currently has five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States — each holding veto power. India has long campaigned for a reformed council that reflects contemporary geopolitical and economic realities. Timor-Leste, which became independent in 2002, is one of several nations that have publicly endorsed India's bid. Ramos-Horta, who has served as the country's foreign minister, prime minister, and president, is among the more prominent international voices to back New Delhi's case.

India's bid for UNSC permanent membership remains a long-term diplomatic priority, with reform efforts gaining renewed attention as the council's composition increasingly appears out of step with the 21st-century global order.