Context
During the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar strongly aligned India’s diplomacy with the Global South. India criticised Western double standards, took sharper stances on conflicts like Gaza, and highlighted structural reforms in the global order.
Key Highlights
- India’s Global South Engagement
- 30 bilateral meetings: Over half with developing nations.
- Active in BRICS, IBSA, India–CELAC, India–SICA, FIPIC, L-69, C-10 (African Union), and the High-Level Global South Forum.
- Focused agenda: food security, energy, climate, trade barriers, and development finance.
- Projected India as a leading Global South voice, reinforcing its G20 presidency legacy (2023).
- Position on Israel–Gaza Conflict
- Policy shift: India backed BRICS and IBSA statements condemning Israeli actions in Gaza.
- Concerns cited: humanitarian catastrophe, famine, mass displacement.
- Notable because India earlier abstained on UN Gaza ceasefire resolutions.
- Indicates alignment with Global South priorities rather than Western powers.
- India–U.S. Tensions
- Meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio saw no major breakthrough.
- Trump administration trade actions:
- 50% tariffs on Indian goods.
- Visa/immigration curbs affecting Indian IT & professionals.
- Tariffs on Indian pharma exports.
- U.S. Commerce Secretary pressed India to “open markets”, stalling FTA talks.
- Washington’s outreach to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan contrasted with India’s limited neighbourhood engagement.
- Multilateral Diplomacy
- Quad: No Foreign Ministers’ meeting → Doubts over India hosting Quad Summit.
- Neighbourhood diplomacy: Jaishankar met counterparts from Sri Lanka, Maldives; India–Pakistan exchanged barbs in UNGA.
- Priority Paper (48-point plan):
- UNSC reform (frustration over stalled negotiations).
- Climate finance & development funding.
- Support for LLDCs, LDCs, and SIDS.
- India’s Critique of Global Order
- Exposed predicament of the Global South: Gaza war, Ukraine war, food & energy insecurity, trade volatility.
- Accused major powers of “sanctimonious lectures” while ignoring developmental equity.
- Asserted India’s voice as a bridge between North & South, but leaning firmly toward South’s concerns.