NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the high-level General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and is scheduled to deliver his speech on September 27. Jaishankar addressed the UN General Assembly last year, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended and spoke at the UN Summit of the Future in September. However, Modi is unlikely to travel to New York for the UN session this year.
India’s participation at the ministerial level comes as the international community prepares for a packed diplomatic calendar in New York, with leaders expected to address pressing global issues, including the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, the war in Ukraine, and challenges to the global economy. The General Debate will be held from September 23 to 29 under the theme “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights.”
US President Donald Trump will address the Assembly on September 23, marking his first speech at the UN since beginning his second term in office. Brazil, as per UN tradition, will open the debate. Jaishankar’s address is expected to reflect India’s position on key global issues and its push for a more multipolar world order. In past interventions at the UN, the minister has underscored India’s call for greater equity in global decision-making, stating that the days when a few nations set the agenda are over.
The UN session week comes amid rising tensions between New Delhi and Washington following the imposition of 50% tariffs by the US on key Indian goods, including a 25% surcharge related to India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil. The measures have been described by India as unjustified, but diplomatic engagement between the two countries has continued with the hope of reaching a trade deal and resolving the impasse.
This year’s session will also include several thematic meetings, including a commemoration of the UN’s 80th anniversary, a Climate Ambition Summit convened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and a high-level event marking 30 years since the Beijing Declaration on women’s rights. Discussions will also be held on artificial intelligence governance, youth development, and the situation of the Rohingya in Myanmar. As per the UN custom, the list of UNGA speakers remains provisional and subject to change in the days leading up to the session.
