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First Person
September 9, 2026

Bangladesh’s Khalilur Rahman has assumed the presidency of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, with “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All” as its theme. In his remarks, Rahman stressed the need to restore trust in the UN and make it “fit for the future” amid conflicts, humanitarian crises and divisions. His six priorities cover peace and security, sustainable development, climate resilience, human rights, digital governance and AI, and UN reform and inclusive global governance. The session will include the selection of the next UN Secretary-General, whose term begins in January 2027. For India and Global South, his presidency will be worth watching for its approach to multilateral reform.

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September 1, 2026

Speaking at the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek on 1 September 2026, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi called for the grouping to move from dialogue to “tangible outcomes”, centred on India’s three pillars of Security, Connectivity and Opportunity. On security, the PM called for collective action against terrorism, including its financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens, while stressing the need to avoid double standards. He linked regional security to stability in Afghanistan and warned that conflicts can disrupt energy, maritime trade and global supply chains. On connectivity, the PM backed better transport links, simpler customs and digital documentation, while stressing respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity. On Opportunity, he called for SCO cooperation to deliver greater benefits to citizens, particularly through youth engagement, entrepreneurship, technology and people-to-people ties. The PM highlighted India’s SCO initiatives and the upcoming SCO Civilizational Dialogue Forum, positioning India’s approach around practical cooperation alongside security and regional connectivity.

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August 27, 2026

On 25 August 2026, India and China held the 25th round of Special Representatives’ talks in Beijing, agreeing to pursue an “Early and Substantial Harvest” on boundary delimitation and border management. Expert and working groups will first finalise their terms of reference, while both sides agreed to strengthen mechanisms for managing incidents along the LAC. The talks also produced agreements on additional military meeting points and hotline channels, trans-border cooperation, and a September meeting on trans-border rivers. The next round will be held in India in 2027.

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August 25, 2026

On 22 August 2026, speaking at the Economic Times World Leaders Forum in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the global economy was moving from a “just in time” model to a “just in case” approach as geopolitical tensions, trade disruptions and supply-chain risks increased. He argued that countries and businesses needed to “distrust and diversify” by building resilience, strengthening domestic capabilities and diversifying trade and supply chains. Stressing that de-risking did not mean disengagement, he said India would continue to do business with the entire world, including China, while developing a stronger industrial and manufacturing base to compete with major economies. Jaishankar also stressed that diplomacy required patience and a long-term perspective, and discussed India’s approach to Pakistan, the United States and the changing global order.

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August 11, 2026

Speaking at the Stratbase Institute in Manila on 10 August 2026, Elbridge Colby, US Under Secretary of War for Policy, said American interests remained deeply engaged in the Indo-Pacific, rejecting suggestions that Washington was retreating from the region. He said the United States was pursuing a strategy of “flexible realism” centred on clear priorities, stronger deterrence and greater contributions from allies and partners. Colby said Washington’s objective was to maintain a favourable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, with the US seeking to establish a posture of deterrence by denial along the First Island Chain. He stressed that regional security could not rest disproportionately on American resources, calling for stronger military capabilities and greater burden-sharing among partners. Highlighting defence cooperation with the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, he said Washington was pursuing practical, interest-based partnerships that respected national sovereignty while strengthening collective deterrence. He also reaffirmed the importance of ASEAN, arguing that the United States’ approach to the region would be based on “flexible realism”, practical cooperation and shared strategic interests.

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July 25, 2026

On 22 July 2026, at the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with India, held on the sidelines of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar called for deeper India-ASEAN cooperation amid an increasingly turbulent global environment. Stressing that no country or grouping can address today’s disruptions alone, he highlighted mounting pressures on supply chains, energy, food and health security, and underscored the importance of secure maritime trade and adherence to international law. Referring to 2026 as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation, Jaishankar urged closer collaboration across trade and investment, technology, digital innovation, artificial intelligence, sustainability, connectivity, and talent mobility to strengthen resilience and diversify partnerships. Reaffirming India’s commitment to ASEAN centrality, he highlighted the convergence between the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, adding that India and ASEAN, together representing around two billion people, must work together to navigate a changing world and realise shared opportunities.

Read More »
Bangladesh’s Khalilur Rahman has assumed the presidency of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, with “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All” as its theme. In his remarks, Rahman stressed the need to restore trust in the UN and make it “fit for the future” amid conflicts, humanitarian crises and divisions. His six priorities cover peace and security, sustainable development, climate resilience, human rights, digital governance and AI, and UN reform and inclusive global governance. The session will include the selection of the next UN Secretary-General, whose term begins in January 2027. For India and Global South, his presidency will be worth watching for its approach to multilateral reform.
Read more
Speaking at the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek on 1 September 2026, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi called for the grouping to move from dialogue to “tangible outcomes”, centred on India’s three pillars of Security, Connectivity and Opportunity. On security, the PM called for collective action against terrorism, including its financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens, while stressing the need to avoid double standards. He linked regional security to stability in Afghanistan and warned that conflicts can disrupt energy, maritime trade and global supply chains. On connectivity, the PM backed better transport links, simpler customs and digital documentation, while stressing respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity. On Opportunity, he called for SCO cooperation to deliver greater benefits to citizens, particularly through youth engagement, entrepreneurship, technology and people-to-people ties. The PM highlighted India’s SCO initiatives and the upcoming SCO Civilizational Dialogue Forum, positioning India’s approach around practical cooperation alongside security and regional connectivity.
Read more
On 25 August 2026, India and China held the 25th round of Special Representatives’ talks in Beijing, agreeing to pursue an “Early and Substantial Harvest” on boundary delimitation and border management. Expert and working groups will first finalise their terms of reference, while both sides agreed to strengthen mechanisms for managing incidents along the LAC. The talks also produced agreements on additional military meeting points and hotline channels, trans-border cooperation, and a September meeting on trans-border rivers. The next round will be held in India in 2027.
Read more
On 22 August 2026, speaking at the Economic Times World Leaders Forum in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the global economy was moving from a “just in time” model to a “just in case” approach as geopolitical tensions, trade disruptions and supply-chain risks increased. He argued that countries and businesses needed to “distrust and diversify” by building resilience, strengthening domestic capabilities and diversifying trade and supply chains. Stressing that de-risking did not mean disengagement, he said India would continue to do business with the entire world, including China, while developing a stronger industrial and manufacturing base to compete with major economies. Jaishankar also stressed that diplomacy required patience and a long-term perspective, and discussed India’s approach to Pakistan, the United States and the changing global order.
Read more
Speaking at the Stratbase Institute in Manila on 10 August 2026, Elbridge Colby, US Under Secretary of War for Policy, said American interests remained deeply engaged in the Indo-Pacific, rejecting suggestions that Washington was retreating from the region. He said the United States was pursuing a strategy of "flexible realism" centred on clear priorities, stronger deterrence and greater contributions from allies and partners. Colby said Washington's objective was to maintain a favourable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, with the US seeking to establish a posture of deterrence by denial along the First Island Chain. He stressed that regional security could not rest disproportionately on American resources, calling for stronger military capabilities and greater burden-sharing among partners. Highlighting defence cooperation with the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, he said Washington was pursuing practical, interest-based partnerships that respected national sovereignty while strengthening collective deterrence. He also reaffirmed the importance of ASEAN, arguing that the United States' approach to the region would be based on "flexible realism", practical cooperation and shared strategic interests.
Read more
On 22 July 2026, at the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with India, held on the sidelines of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Manila, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar called for deeper India-ASEAN cooperation amid an increasingly turbulent global environment. Stressing that no country or grouping can address today's disruptions alone, he highlighted mounting pressures on supply chains, energy, food and health security, and underscored the importance of secure maritime trade and adherence to international law. Referring to 2026 as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation, Jaishankar urged closer collaboration across trade and investment, technology, digital innovation, artificial intelligence, sustainability, connectivity, and talent mobility to strengthen resilience and diversify partnerships. Reaffirming India's commitment to ASEAN centrality, he highlighted the convergence between the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and India's Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, adding that India and ASEAN, together representing around two billion people, must work together to navigate a changing world and realise shared opportunities.
Read more