(Image source from: x.com/narendramodi)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be present at the UN General Assembly meeting taking place this month in New York. This decision comes during a period of trade issues between India and the United States after President Donald Trump enforced strict tariffs on India for buying oil from Russia during the Ukraine conflict. A speaker list from the United Nations included both PM Modi and Donald Trump as planned speakers for the yearly meeting. The important General Debate for the 80th UN General Assembly is scheduled from September 23 to 29, with Brazil starting the session as usual, followed by the United States. As per the list of speakers, India is set to speak at the Assembly on the morning of September 27. External affairs minister S Jaishankar will take the place of the Prime Minister at this event.

Regarded as the "busiest time for diplomacy" each year at the United Nations, this high-level session starts in September every year. This year, the session will occur amid the Israel-Hamas conflict and the Ukraine-Russia conflict, making it quite important. In February of this year, PM Narendra Modi visited the US for a meeting with Donald Trump at the White House. After their meeting, they released a statement announcing their intention to work on the first part of a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) that aims to benefit both countries by the fall of 2025. However, last month, Trump placed a 25 percent extra tariff on India for buying Russian oil, bringing the total tariff to 50 percent. India’s external affairs ministry described Trump's action as unfair and unreasonable.

“Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to protect its national interests and economic security,” it stated.