In the backdrop of heightened trade tensions between India and the United States, there are strong indications that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may not attend the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York later this month. Instead, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is expected to represent India. The annual assembly will be held from September 23 to 29.
A recently updated provisional speakers’ list suggests Modi’s absence, with Jaishankar’s name scheduled for India’s national statement on September 26. However, the Ministry of External Affairs has not yet issued an official confirmation. Diplomatic observers caution that the speakers’ list may not be definitive, noting that in previous years the final schedule has undergone last-minute changes—sometimes replacing the Prime Minister’s name with that of the Foreign Minister.
Reports, however, suggest Modi is unlikely to travel to the US at a time when Washington has imposed steep additional tariffs on India, seen by many as a punitive measure over New Delhi’s continued energy ties with Moscow. Unless President Donald Trump signals willingness to advance stalled trade negotiations, diplomatic sources say Modi is expected to stay away from New York.
Meanwhile, Trump himself is reportedly unlikely to address the UNGA this year. The US President has sharply criticized India and Russia for deepening ties with China, accusing both nations of aligning with what he called “darkest China.” In a post on Truth Social, Trump sarcastically wished India and Russia “a long and prosperous future together.”
Expressing disappointment over India’s substantial crude oil imports from Russia, Trump recently remarked in a media interaction that Washington had imposed a record 50% tariff hike on India. He also referred to his personal rapport with Modi, recalling that the two leaders shared a press conference in the White House Rose Garden during Modi’s last visit to the US two months ago.
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