Jaishankar On 9-Day US Visit From Sept 22-30. UNGA Address, Talks With Blinken On Cards

​External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar is visiting the United States of America from September 22-30, 2023 where he will be addressing the 78th United Nations General Assembly Session and will also hold bilateral talks with US counterpart Antony Blinken, an official release from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. The minister will be leading the Indian delegation for the high-level week at the 78th Session of the UNGA in New York from September 22-26. Jaishankar will address the session on Sept 26.

The statement added that EAM will host a special event ‘India-UN for Global South: Delivering for Development’ in keeping with “India’s support for Global South”.

“During the visit, EAM would attend various plurilateral and bilateral meetings. EAM will also be meeting with the UN Secretary General H.E. Mr. António Guterres and H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis, President of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly,” the release added.

Apart from the UNGA participation, Jaishankar will also hold bilateral meetings with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his visit to Washington D.C. from September 27-30. He will also meet senior members of the US administration, US business leaders and think tanks. According to the MEA release, Jaishanakr will also be addressing the 4th World Culture Festival being organised by the Art of Living.

US Monitoring Developments On India-Canada Diplomatic Tensions

The trip comes on the heels of diplomatic tensions between India and Canada over the murder of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. US has said that the issue is of “deep concern” and they are in constant touch with authorities in Canada and India as well.

Meanwhile, on Firday, US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan said despite being a close partner of India, Washington does not give a “special exception” to anyone when it comes to standing up and defending basic principles. Hence, Washington will “consult closely” with Ottawa on the investigations into the killing of Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and the United States would like “to get to the bottom” of the probe.

“I am not going to get into private diplomatic conversations that have either already happened or going to happen on this topic only to say that we have been and will be in contact with the Indians at high levels on this issue. It is a matter of concern for us, this is something we take very seriously, this is something we will keep working on and we will do that regardless of the country,” Sullivan told reporters in the US during a media conference.

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