New York: India has officially renewed its global pledge to eliminate AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, strongly advocating for universal access to affordable life-saving medicines, predictable international financing, and robust national ownership of healthcare initiatives.
Addressing the high-level United Nations meeting on the 2026 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS in New York, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, stated that the global campaign against the epidemic has reached a critical juncture as the international community enters the final stretch toward the 2030 target. He observed that while remarkable progress has been achieved over the past two decades, persistent socio-economic inequalities, financing constraints, and emerging global challenges continue to threaten these hard-won gains.
India welcomed the draft political declaration, endorsing its renewed framework to eliminate the disease while sustaining healthcare progress beyond the next decade. Highlighting domestic milestones, the Indian envoy noted that the National AIDS and STD Control Programme has successfully lowered new HIV infections and lowered mortality rates through evidence-driven planning, community participation, and integrated service delivery models.
Ambassador Parvathaneni underlined the absolute necessity of country ownership, asserting that national responses must be aligned with local realities and backed by strengthened public health systems. India also drew global attention to its highly successful Triple Elimination Strategy, which targets the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B through universal screening of pregnant women, timely treatment interventions, and comprehensive follow-up care for infants.
New Delhi also called for integrated healthcare responses to manage HIV alongside tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, and other common co-infections to improve overall patient outcomes and enhance public resource efficiency. Furthermore, the envoy emphasized the need for equitable global access to diagnostics and emerging medical technologies, asserting that flexibilities under the World Trade Organisation’s TRIPS Agreement remain crucial for developing nations seeking affordable access to essential health products.
Acknowledging the indispensable role of civil society organizations in strengthening grassroots healthcare, India supported sustained stakeholder engagement consistent with national priorities. Ambassador Parvathaneni concluded by reiterating India’s firm commitment to working alongside member states, UNAIDS, and global partners to accelerate momentum and completely dismantle the threat of AIDS by 2030.
