The 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly is currently underway at UN Headquarters in New York, with the High-Level Week and General Debate taking place from September 22 to 28, 2026.
Presided over by His Excellency Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh, the session carries the overarching theme “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All.” World leaders, foreign ministers and high-level representatives from nearly 193 member states are gathering to address pressing global challenges.
Major Issues on the Agenda
Key topics dominating discussions include:
Ongoing conflicts and threats to global security (including the situation in Ukraine, Middle East tensions and other regional crises)
Governance of artificial intelligence and its implications for peace, security and sustainable development
Reforms to international institutions, particularly the United Nations Security Council
Climate action, sea-level rise, pandemic preparedness and acceleration of the Sustainable Development Goals
High-level meetings scheduled during the week cover the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, climate action and just transition, existential threats from sea-level rise, and pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
For the first time, artificial intelligence has risen prominently on the UNGA agenda, with calls for global guardrails, scientific panels and dialogue on AI governance to ensure the technology serves humanity while mitigating risks.
India’s Engagement
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar is leading India’s delegation and has been actively engaged in bilateral and plurilateral meetings on the sidelines.
On the margins of the session, he held discussions with counterparts from France, Ecuador, Slovakia and Hungary, among others. Talks covered regional and global issues such as the Ukraine conflict, Gulf tensions, economic cooperation (including energy, pharmaceuticals and trade), multilateralism and reform of the UN Security Council.
Jaishankar also participated in the first-ever foreign ministers’ meeting of the Visegrad Group (V4 – Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia) + India format, described as a “historic occasion.” The sides agreed to closer political cooperation, an annual business forum, strengthened defence, technology and cultural ties.
Additional meetings included engagements with the Swiss Foreign Minister (reviewing the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement) and the President of Nauru (reaffirming development partnership).