UN Open to Name Change Request to ‘Bharat,’ Spokesperson Says

• The UN would consider India’s request to change its name if it is made formally.
• The process would likely follow the precedent set by Turkey, which changed its name to Turkiye.
• India’s Constitution already refers to the country as Bharat.

A UN spokesperson stated that if India formally requested to change its name to ‘Bharat,’ the United Nations would consider the request.

This process would likely follow a similar precedent set by Turkey, where a simple letter from India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, could suffice.

When a Chinese reporter asked about the process for such a name change, the UN Deputy Spokesperson, Farhan Haq, explained that in the case of Turkey (which changed its name to Turkiye), they responded to a formal request from the government. If India were to make a similar request to change its name, the UN would also consider it.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had internationally changed the country’s name to align with the Turkish language, and this change was formalized at the UN with just a letter from Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusogalu, to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

It’s worth noting that India’s Constitution already refers to the country as Bharat, stating, “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.”

Recent events have sparked speculation that India might be considering abandoning the name ‘India’ in favor of ‘Bharat.’ For example, a dinner invitation from President Droupadi Murmu to G20 Summit leaders addressed her as the “President of Bharat” in English.

This issue has become politically sensitive, especially after the opposition coalition adopted the acronym ‘INDIA’ for the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance ahead of the upcoming elections. The ruling BJP incorporates ‘Bharatiya’ in its name, along with the English word ‘Party,’ while the opposition Congress has retained the name Indian National Congress since its formation in 1885, playing a significant role in the Independence movement.

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