S. Jaishankar Leads Global Diplomatic Push at UN General Assembly

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar conducted a wide-ranging diplomatic offensive in New York during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly from September 23 to 25, 2026. His engagements focused on expanding India's influence across the Global South and formalizing economic ties with European partners.

In high-level talks with Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, Jaishankar discussed the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor and a target of 20 billion euros in trade exchange by 2029. He also met with foreign ministers from the Netherlands, Finland, and Slovenia to discuss the Ukraine conflict and the formalization of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement expected in December.

Jaishankar prioritized Global South cooperation through multilateral sessions with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation. He urged Caribbean nations to deepen ties in digital and mobility domains and promoted the International Solar Alliance. In bilateral meetings, he reviewed energy cooperation with Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, who thanked India for deploying nine aircraft to deliver emergency relief following catastrophic floods in August.

Concluding his series of meetings on September 25, Jaishankar held talks with UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband on food and energy security and met with Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda. His schedule included discussions on regional security and logistics with representatives from Egypt, Jordan, Tajikistan, and the United Nations Office for Project Services.