Jaishankar Leads India Delegation at UN General Assembly Week

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in New York on September 21 to lead India's delegation at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, opening a high-level week expected to draw nearly 130 heads of state and government, according to the United Nations. Jaishankar is scheduled to address the General Assembly on September 26, presenting India's perspectives on global issues and its priorities before the UN's 193 member states. He will also speak at an event at the Asia Society the same day. His agenda includes a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings with leaders, foreign ministers and UN officials, along with informal engagements. India's aid programmes for countries of the Global South, delivered directly and through multilateral organisations, are expected to feature in some of those discussions. The visit also offers an opportunity for Jaishankar to make India's case for a Security Council seat ahead of next year's election for a two-year term beginning in 2028. He is expected to explain India's six-point manifesto, SHANTU, an acronym for Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust and Integrity.