Chris Lewis.

“In politics (there are) no permanent friends, no permanent enemies but permanent interest.”

Whatever you say here will gain you nothing, and lose you nothing.

Dan.

ok, but I already knew that.

People in politics tend to like you if you are one of them and repeat or reinforce what they say.

I just like to talk.

Nope!
Alan B.

India is a rich country with a space program and a hugely expensive nuclear weapons program so it can easily pay for UN membership - much more so than genuinely dirt poor third world countries.

However, India, and academics of Indian extraction, have been part of a long running argument that India should be a permanent member of the powerful UN Security Council (UNSC). see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reform_of_the_United_Nations_Security_Council#India

They argue, inter alia, that China (with a population over one billion) is a permanent member, so why not India (which also has a population over one billion) AND India contributes the 2nd largest number of troops to UN peace-keeping missions.

Looks like the recent border skirmish with China (in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed) is rekindling India's underlying campaign for UNSC membership.