New Delhi — Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 26, according to a provisional list of speakers released by the UN. The high-level General Debate will take place from September 23 to 29, with Brazil delivering the opening address, followed by US President Donald Trump.
This year’s session comes against the backdrop of heightened global tensions, including the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The UNGA’s opening on September 9 will mark the start of what diplomats call the busiest period of the year for international diplomacy.
Trump, now in his second term, will speak on September 23 in his first address to the UN since returning to the White House. His speech will likely spotlight his self-claimed role in resolving multiple international disputes, including peace agreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Cambodia and Thailand, Israel and Iran, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Serbia and Kosovo. He has also claimed credit for defusing the May conflict between India and Pakistan.
For India, the UNGA appearance comes amid friction in trade relations with Washington. Modi visited the US in February for a bilateral meeting with Trump, during which both leaders announced plans to negotiate the first phase of a multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by the fall of 2025. However, the talks hit turbulence after Trump imposed tariffs totalling 50 per cent on India, including a 25 per cent levy on New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil, effective August 27.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs criticised the move, calling the tariffs “unjustified and unreasonable,” and vowed to take “all necessary measures” to protect national interests and economic security.
The tariffs come just ahead of the sixth round of BTA negotiations, scheduled to begin on August 25 in New Delhi, with both countries still aiming to finalise the first phase of the deal by October or November.
The provisional UNGA speaker list remains subject to changes in the coming weeks, but if confirmed, Modi’s September 26 speech will be closely watched for signals on India’s stance in an increasingly complex geopolitical and economic environment.
