PM Modi Likely to Address UNGA in September Amid Trade Tensions with US

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to speak at the annual high-level session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this September, according to a provisional list of speakers cited by PTI on Wednesday. U.S. President Donald Trump is also slated to address the gathering—his first UNGA speech since starting his second term.

The 80th UNGA General Debate will run from September 23 to 29, with Brazil opening the session, followed by the United States. Modi is scheduled to speak on the morning of September 26, the same day leaders from Israel, China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are also expected to address the Assembly.

Modi’s visit would come amid escalating trade tensions between India and the U.S. Earlier this year, despite ongoing negotiations for a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports of Russian oil, raising the total tariff to 50%. India’s Ministry of External Affairs condemned the move as “unjustified and unreasonable,” vowing to protect national interests and economic security.

The new tariffs were announced just months after Modi’s February trip to Washington, where he and Trump agreed to work toward a partial BTA by fall 2025. A U.S. delegation is set to visit India from August 25 for the sixth round of talks, with both nations aiming to finalize the first phase of the pact by October or November.

This year’s UNGA session will unfold against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas conflict and the ongoing Ukraine war, adding geopolitical weight to the annual diplomatic gathering. The speakers’ list remains provisional and subject to change in the coming weeks.