New Delhi, March 21 -- Accusing the small group of countries that includes Pakistan of hiding behind "a smokescreen" of proceduralism to prevent countries of the Global South from getting their rightful place on the UN Security Council, India has called for urgent text-based negotiations to bring it into the 21st century international framework.

Calling its current structure fundamentally flawed, India's Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj said on Tuesday that it continues "to deny member states, especially of the Global South a voice and a role in the Council's decision" leading to a lowering of its credibility.

Speaking at a meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN), Kamboj said that what is needed "is a Security Council...