India has renewed its demand for an expansion of the UN Security Council to include both permanent and non permanent members, saying the move is necessary to reflect the current realities of the world.

The "genuine and lasting" improvement of working methods is only possible as a part of a "comprehensive" reform process of the Council including its expansion in both categories, India's Ambassador to UN Nirupam Sen said here.

"It is only when there are new permanent members, who are held accountable to the wider membership, that there will be a genuine response to the longstanding demand for meaningful and durable changes in the working methods of the Council," he told the Council during a debate on the issue.

Sen was referring to the fact that permanent members at present are victors of the Second World War and had not been elected by the General Assembly on which all members are represented.

The Assembly, which now has 192 members, Sen said, would elect the new permanent members and it would then be in a position to review their performance.

The permanent members, who are held accountable to the wider membership through an appropriate review mechanism, can only bring "meaningful and durable" changes, he said, adding this is an issue which transcends the limited membership of the Council.

Sen pointed out that troop contributing countries have long sought to be involved in decision-making in peacekeeping operations.

The many flaws in the Council's working methods are only symptoms of a deeper malaise that lies in its structure and composition, the Indian Ambassador said.