PM Modi to Skip UN General Assembly Debate, Jaishankar to Represent India Amid Tense US Ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be addressing the high-level General Debate at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York this month, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar now scheduled to deliver India’s national statement instead . According to a revised list of speakers, Jaishankar will address the world body on September 27, a change from an earlier list published in July which had slated the Prime Minister to speak on September 26 .
The decision comes against a backdrop of strained relations between India and the United States over trade and geopolitical alignments. US President Donald Trump, who will address the UN General Assembly on September 23, recently sparked a diplomatic row by claiming the US had “lost India and Russia to China,” a remark he later walked back while still expressing deep disappointment over India’s continued purchase of Russian oil . In response, Trump’s administration imposed a steep 50% tariff on Indian goods, marking a new low in bilateral ties .
Despite the punitive measures and harsh rhetoric, Trump also took care to emphasize his personal friendship with the Indian Prime Minister. “I’ll always be friends with (PM) Modi. He’s a great Prime Minister,” Trump told reporters, adding, “India and the United States have a very special relationship. There is nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion.” This attempt to separate policy disagreements from personal rapport has become a hallmark of his diplomatic style.
PM Modi’s absence means he will not share the UNGA stage with leaders of Israel, China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, who are all scheduled to speak on September 26 . The development will be closely watched, as it follows Trump’s social media post featuring a picture of Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the SCO Summit, which the US President used to suggest that New Delhi was drifting into a rival camp. India has officially refrained from commenting on Trump’s remarks
