S. Jaishankar Calls for UN Reform at General Assembly

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar led a series of diplomatic engagements in New York on September 21 and 22, 2026, ahead of the 81st United Nations General Assembly. During the inaugural Partners for Multilateralism Summit, Jaishankar argued that the global order is under stress and called for reformed multilateralism to address the "four 'F crisis' of Fuel, food, fertiliser and finance." He emphasized that international law and norms must be scrupulously observed to maintain international cooperation.

Jaishankar conducted extensive bilateral meetings to strengthen strategic and economic ties. He met with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot to discuss the Ukraine and Gulf crises, and with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who stressed that restoring freedom of navigation in the Black Sea is critical for global food security. Jaishankar reiterated that the Ukraine conflict requires dialogue and diplomacy rather than battlefield resolution. Other meetings included discussions on energy and pharmaceuticals with Ecuador's Roberto Kury, and economic ties under the India-EFTA agreement with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.

India's push for institutional reform was a central theme across multiple forums. At a meeting hosted by France and Mexico, Secretary Sibi George advocated for comprehensive reforms of the UN Security Council, aligning with previous discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. This position was further supported by Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar during a meeting with the Visegrad Group, where the V4 nations affirmed their support for India's permanent membership in the UN Security Council.