External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar attends the first Visegrad Group (V4)+India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New York. (Image: X/ S Jaishankar)Four-nation Visegrad Group (V4) has backed India’s inclusion as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, with Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar saying India “must be at the table” as a permanent member of the UN’s top decision-making body.The four countries part of Visegrad Group are Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Speaking after the first Visegrad Group (V4)+India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Blanar said all four V4 countries agreed on India’s permanent membership, according to ANI.“We all agree as V4 countries that India, as a part of the Global South country, an upcoming superpower in the Indo-Pacific region, must be at the table as the permanent member of the UN Security Council,” Blanar said.The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday. Blanar made the remark during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar‘s meeting with foreign ministers from Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic under Slovakia’s presidency of the V4.India, V4 discuss wider cooperationAccording to the Ministry of External Affairs, the ministers discussed ways to strengthen engagement between India and the Visegrad Group and noted the strong bilateral relations between India and each of the four countries.‘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’– Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár of Slovakia after the first V4 + India FMM #UNGA81 — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 21, 2026The discussions covered trade and investment, technology and innovation, resilient supply chains, defence and security, connectivity, education, mobility and people-to-people exchanges.The ministers also discussed greater cooperation among businesses, academic and research institutions and other stakeholders from India and the V4 countries.On global issues, they exchanged views on regional and international developments, peace and security and cooperation in multilateral forums. They also discussed reformed multilateralism and challenges affecting the Global South.Story continues below this adJaishankar outlines areas of cooperationAfter the meeting, Jaishankar said the V4+India format had agreed to deepen cooperation in several areas.In a post on X, he said the countries would work towards closer political cooperation, including annual meetings of foreign ministers, and deeper economic engagement through an annual business forum.He also listed technology, innovation, research and education partnerships, defence cooperation, cultural ties and people-to-people relations among the areas for greater cooperation.The MEA said the inaugural meeting marked an important step in establishing engagement between India and the Visegrad Group at the foreign ministers’ level.Story continues below this adANI reported that the V4+India format provides an additional platform for dialogue and cooperation, building on India’s longstanding bilateral relations with Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.