India's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council has received support from all four members of the Visegrád Group (V4). The backing
from Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic was announced at the first V4-India foreign ministers' meeting, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár said the four countries were united in supporting India's bid. "We all agree as V4 countries that India as a part of the Global South, upcoming superpower in the Indo-Pacific region, must be at the table as the permanent member of the UN Security Council," Blanár said after the meeting. The statement comes as India continues to seek a greater role in the UN's top decision-making body. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar described the first V4-India foreign ministers' meeting as a "new historic occasion". The five countries agreed to strengthen cooperation across politics, trade, technology, defence and people-to-people ties.
Media Briefing after the first Visegrád Group (V4) + India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting #UNGA81 #UNHighLevelWeek
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 21, 2026
🇮🇳 🇸🇰 🇵🇱 🇭🇺 🇨🇿 pic.twitter.com/DTZTgyKFeQ
They also agreed to hold annual meetings of their foreign ministers and establish an annual business forum.
Jaishankar said India and the V4 countries would look for greater cooperation in technology and innovation, while also strengthening existing defence ties. "We have a very strong history with all the V4 countries in defence. We want to refresh and take forward that record and that cooperation," he said.
The ministers discussed cooperation in areas including space, connectivity, research, education and cultural exchanges.
People-to-people links were also discussed, with Jaishankar highlighting the presence of Indian students across the four V4 countries.
The meeting also covered international issues including the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Gulf.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said India and the V4 had agreed on closer political cooperation, deeper economic engagement and stronger partnerships in technology, innovation, research and education. He also said the countries would work to reinvigorate defence cooperation, expand cultural and people-to-people relations and support multilateralism.
With inputs from PTI
