Modi had travelled to the US in February this year for a bilateral meeting with Trump in the White House
New Delhi, New York: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the annual high-level session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on September 26, according to indications from a provisional list of speakers issued by the United Nations. The visit, however, has not yet been confirmed by New Delhi. If it materialises, this will be his second visit to the United States this year, the first being an official trip in February, just weeks after US President Donald Trump assumed office for a second term. President Trump, meanwhile, is scheduled to address the UNGA three days earlier, on September 23.
A visit by Modi to New York could set the stage for a bilateral meeting between the two leaders, coming against the backdrop of trade tensions between India and the US, which are currently negotiating a bilateral trade pact. However, this remains in the realm of speculation.
According to news agency reports from New York, the UN’s provisional list of speakers for the high-level debate of the 80th session of the General Assembly mentions that India’s “Head of Government (HG)” will address the session on the morning of September 26. The UNGA list of speakers for the General Debate is provisional, with the possibility of changes in schedules and speakers over the next few weeks. The UN will update the list accordingly.
With one and a half months to go before Modi’s scheduled address, the situation remains fluid. Recently, President Trump announced an additional penalty of 25 per cent on India for importing Russian oil, raising total American tariffs on India to 50 per cent. The additional tariffs are expected to be implemented soon, but this could change if the US and Russia reach an agreement in Alaska on Friday to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. President Trump is also scheduled to visit India by the end of the year for the Quad Summit, to be hosted by India. However, uncertainty is growing following the US President’s repeated sharp criticisms of India on the trade front. If tensions ease, it could pave the way for both Modi’s visit to the US and possibly President Trump’s visit to India.
According to reports, the 80th session of the UNGA will open on September 9. The high-level General Debate will run from September 23 to 29, with Brazil as the traditional first speaker, followed by the US. This will be President Trump’s first address to the UN in his second term in the White House. The Heads of Government of Israel, China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are also scheduled to address the General Debate on the same day as Modi. September marks the “busiest diplomatic season” of the year at the United Nations Headquarters, as the high-level session convenes annually.
