India has not yet made up its mind about whether to allow Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) this month, according to several media reports. According to these reports, a final decision would probably be taken nearer to the session in New York.
Speculation regarding a potential visit by Modi to the US was ignited after his name had been included in the UNGA's high-level debate provisional list of speakers, and also following a comment by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding a possible meeting with the Prime Minister on the sidelines of the session.
India's head of government is to speak to the General Assembly on September 26 morning, according to the tentative timetable. The debate is to be held between September 23 and 29, during which the US president is to speak on September 23, the first day of the debate.
But media reports said India has not yet made up its mind on the extent of participation.
The UN usually makes the advance list of speakers in August, giving slots to heads of government and state prior to foreign ministers or other representatives. It is common for leaders to step down once their names are added to the list, the reports said.
Zelensky, after a phone conversation with Modi on Monday, had indicated on social media that a meeting between the two leaders was planned during the UNGA. This announcement added to speculation about Modi’s potential visit to the US, which could have provided an opportunity for talks with former President Trump.
However, there remain deep differences between the US and India on a trade agreement, particularly after Trump imposed a 25% bilateral tariff on Indian products and an extra 25% penalty in response to India's buying of Russian oil. Trump has recently accused India of perpetuating the "Russian war machine" by still buying Russian crude.
Additionally, Trump's successive assertions of having brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after four days of conflict have not sat well at the top in New Delhi.
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