New Delhi: Hindi is likely to be accorded the status of an official language at the United Nations within a span of four to five months, Minister of State for External Affairs Digvijay Singh said on May 30.

"Around 25 members of the UN share unanimity on this matter and we are hopeful of garnering the support of the remaining members within the next four to five months," Singh said an interview.

A proposal on this would be placed in the coming Assembly session of the UN, where it would be passed, he said.

Singh admitted that such a move would mean an expenditure of Rs 100 crore on part of India, but said the issue was not that of money and government was willing to pay it to the UN.

Countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Trinidad and Tobago, Fiji, and Mauritius were some of the countries, which had agreed to India's proposal and talks were on with other UN members to garner majority in the Assembly, he said.

PTI