'India must seriously evaluate exiting UN': Zoho's Sridhar Vembu

Sridhar Vembu, founder and chief scientist of Zoho, has called on India to consider withdrawing from the United Nations and pulling its troops out of UN peacekeeping missions.

In a post on Sunday, Vembu said the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi must be viewed against the backdrop of an "extremely over-extended and over-stretched hegemon". He said the gathering of BRICS leaders in India was significant and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's role on the global stage.

"My own long-standing suggestion is that India must seriously evaluate exiting the UN and withdrawing all our troops from any UN peacekeeping missions," Vembu said. "We must keep this option (should I say trump card!) ready."

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The Zoho founder also called for the creation of new international institutions to replace what he described as a "current failing set of institutions". "We must build new international institutions (BRICS is a good start) to replace the current failing set of institutions," he said.

The tech veteran said the Delhi summit should be seen in the context of an "extremely over-extended and over-stretched hegemon, with no easy 'exit strategy'".

He said the fact that the leaders had come together, and that they had done so in India, was "of utmost significance". "Our Prime Minister has raised the stature of India in the global stage, and he is seen as the leading statesman of the world today," Vembu said.

India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. The summit brought together representatives of the expanded 11-member BRICS grouping. Among the key leaders attending were Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto also attended the summit.

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PM Modi Calls For UN Reforms

Vembu's comments came a day after PM Modi called for reforms at the United Nations during the BRICS summit session on "Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism".

The Prime Minister said reform of the UN Security Council "can no longer be delayed" and called for a clearly defined timeline and concrete outcomes in the negotiations.

"I would like to say that reform of the UN Security Council can no longer be delayed. The text-based negotiations on this issue must be linked to a clearly defined timeline and concrete outcomes," PM Modi said. "Similarly, in financial institutions, voting power, leadership positions, and policy priorities should reflect today's economic realities. Countries that drive global economic growth should also have an appropriate role in shaping global economic governance."

UN Secretary-General's spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric backed Modi's call for reform on Saturday. He said the current structure of the Security Council, with five permanent members, no longer reflects the realities of the 21st century.

"If you listen to what the Secretary-General has been saying since he got into office and 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," Dujarric told ANI.

"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 added.