Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not deliver India’s address at the high-level General Debate of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) later this month, according to an updated list of speakers released by the UN.
Prime Minister Modi had initially been slated to speak at the General Debate on September 26.
The updated provisional list for the UNGA’s 80th General Debate shows that India will be represented by a minister instead of the Prime Minister.
The 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will begin on September 9, with the high-level General Debate scheduled from September 23 to 27, concluding on September 29.
India’s Permanent Representative To UN
Earlier, while speaking during the General Assembly debate on ‘The situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine’, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, P Harish reiterated that the Ukraine conflict cannot be resolved on the battlefield and stressed that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way forward.
Economic Toll Of Ongoing Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Harish underscored New Delhi’s readiness to contribute to global peace initiatives and drew attention to the human and economic toll of the ongoing war.
“India continues to remain concerned over the situation in Ukraine. We maintain that the loss of innocent lives is unacceptable, and no solution can be found on the battlefield,” he said.
Ready To Back Diplomatic Efforts To End Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Quoting PM Narendra Modi’s message that “this is not an era of war,” Ambassador Harish said India is ready to back diplomatic efforts to end the conflict quickly.
“As Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said on several occasions, ‘This is not an era of war’. India stands ready to support diplomatic efforts for an early end to the conflict”, he said.
Diplomacy Can Help End Ukraine Conflict
He said India believes diplomacy can help end the Ukraine conflict and create chances for lasting peace.
“We believe all these diplomatic efforts hold the promise of bringing to an end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and opening up prospects for a lasting peace,” he said.
He emphasized that achieving lasting peace requires the full participation and genuine commitment of all stakeholders.