External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj arrived in New York on Monday to represent India at the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session. India is among the 120 countries who have extended their support to the UN Secretary General's reform efforts.
Swaraj, during her week-long stay in the United States, is leading a high-powered Indian delegation. The minister is expected to hold around 20 bilateral and trilateral meetings with world leaders attending the UN session.
Swaraj will start her official engagement late on Monday with a trilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Konor.
The meeting is aimed at maintaining momentum of cooperation between India, US and Japan. The meet is also significant at a time when China is exhibiting its power in the region.
Reports state that in her busy schedule with attending consecutive meetings, Swaraj will also participate in a high-level meeting on the UN reforms, which will be hosted by the US and chaired by US President Donald Trump.
India, on UN reforms, has said they need to be "broad- based and all-encompassing," and that the changes incorporated should not be restricted just to its Secretariat.
India's permanent Representative to the United Nations, Syed Akbaruddin, said issues like climate change, terrorism, people centric migration and peacekeeping are other important focus areas for India this year.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj reached New York for 72nd UN General Assembly. #UNGA pic.twitter.com/0hLGCRjmmJ
— ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2017
Akbaruddin also said Swaraj would participate in a special panel of selected countries by the UN Secretary General on climate action.
Swaraj is scheduled to hold a series of meetings on Monday with Tunisian Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics and her Bolivian counterpart Fernando Huanacuni Mamani.
The external affairs minister is expected to address the UNGA on September 23.
Akbaruddin, however, ruled out a bilateral meeting between Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart.
