Jaishankar at UNGA: India backs peace, warns against weaponisation of trade, technology and finance

By Deepak Arora

UNITED NATIONS: India on Saturday called for a stronger and more predictable international order, warning that conflicts, terrorism and the growing weaponisation of finance, technology, trade and supply chains are deepening instability across the world. Addressing the high-level debate of the 81st UN General Assembly, India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the United Nations was entering its ninth decade at a time when conflicts and confrontations had become the world's primary concern. He said the consequences were being felt far beyond the countries directly involved in wars....more

Antonio Guterres, Modi Discuss BRICS Priorities, Global Conflicts and AI Weapons

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI: With wars continuing in the Middle East and Ukraine, global food supplies under pressure and major questions hanging over the future of international cooperation, UN Secretary-General António Guterres met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. The meeting brought together several of the most pressing issues facing the world, from reform of global institutions and freedom of navigation to food security, sustainable development, renewable energy and the rapidly growing role of artificial intelligence....more

India hits back at Sharif at UN, warns Pakistan over cross-border terrorism

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 26: India on Saturday launched a sharp counterattack against Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's address to the UN General Assembly, accusing Islamabad of using "terrorism, deceit and duplicity" while continuing to promote cross-border terrorism.

Exercising India's right of reply, First Secretary at India's Permanent Mission to the UN Petal Gahlot rejected Sharif's remarks on India and Jammu and Kashmir, saying Pakistan's repeated allegations could not hide its record on terrorism and its treatment of minorities and democratic rights.

Gahlot issued a direct warning to Islamabad, saying India's right to defend itself against terrorism would continue to be exercised.

"At the heart of the issue is the long-standing practice of cross-border terrorism by Pakistan," Gahlot told the General Assembly. "We demonstrated last year that terrorists will have nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Our right to defend ourselves against terrorism will be exercised and continued. Terrorism by Pakistan will have consequences."

Her remarks came a day after Sharif used the UNGA podium to raise the Kashmir issue and speak about the 2025 conflict between India and Pakistan. Sharif also credited US President Donald Trump with what he described as a "timely intervention" during the confrontation.

India rejected that narrative and accused Pakistan of presenting a distorted picture of events before the international community.

"We are confident that this Assembly will recognise Pakistan and its policies for what they really are, not what its representative mendaciously projects it to be," Gahlot said. "Reiterating falsehoods year after year does not make them true."

She added that Pakistan's "terrorism, deceit and duplicity will neither benefit it nor the world."

Gahlot also pointed to the presence of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan as evidence of what India described as Islamabad's long-standing record on terrorism.

Referring to the recent anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, she said the mastermind of the attacks had been found living in Pakistan, close to the country's military establishment.

"The US just observed the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Its mastermind was living at the doorsteps of Pakistan's Army's premier academy," she said.

Bin Laden was killed by US forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in 2011. His discovery there had drawn international scrutiny over how the al-Qaeda leader was able to remain in the country for years.

The Indian diplomat also challenged Pakistan's portrayal of the Kashmir issue at the UN, rejecting what she described as an attempt to divert attention from terrorism.

India has consistently maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and that issues involving the region must be addressed in accordance with India's position on terrorism and cross-border violence.

The exchange came during a session of the 81st UN General Assembly high-level debate, where India and Pakistan again used their respective addresses to present sharply different narratives on Kashmir, security and regional stability.

Sharif's speech had placed the Kashmir dispute back at the centre of Pakistan's UN message. He also referred to the 2025 India-Pakistan confrontation and praised Trump's role in bringing the fighting to an end.

India's response instead focused heavily on terrorism, with Gahlot arguing that Islamabad's policies had repeatedly undermined its credibility on the international stage.

The Indian diplomat also criticised Pakistan over democratic rights and the treatment of minorities, broadening New Delhi's response beyond the Kashmir dispute.

The sharp exchange underscored the continuing divide between the two nuclear-armed neighbours at the UN, where both countries have repeatedly clashed over Kashmir and terrorism.

For India, however, the message on Saturday was direct. Any continued support for cross-border terrorism, Gahlot warned, would carry consequences.

India's response also sought to shift the focus away from Pakistan's allegations over Kashmir and towards what New Delhi regards as the central security issue in its relations with Islamabad, the use of militant groups and cross-border terrorism.

‘Respect sovereignty, security of Gulf countries’: China at UNGA

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 26: In a veiled rebuke at the United States, China in its speech at the United Nations General Assembly called for the sovereignty of Gulf countries to be respected. It further urged the “relevant country”, without naming America, to stop threatening Cuba and lift its blockade on the latter.

The remarks come a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up his US state visit, during which he was accorded a warm and lavish reception by US President Donald Trump. Xi's visit to Washington included a rare display of bonhomie between Trump and him, with a military flyover and a state dinner part of the trip.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng said major countries should have “special responsibilities” for safeguarding international peace and security. “They should take the lead in complying with the rules, upholding rule of law, and doing what's right.”

He further added, “China holds that the sovereignty and security of countries in the Middle East, including the Gulf, should be respected.”

Han also addressed US' blockade of Cuba, urging it to “stop using threat of force” against the country. “China urges the relevant country to immediately stop using threat of force against Cuba and immediately and completely lift the blockade and sanctions against Cuba.”

“China holds that all countries, big or small, are equal members of the international community, and that world affairs should be handled by all through consultation,” Han added.

Zelensky says Russia tricking Indians, 46 other nationals into joining war

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 23: Russia is luring Indians into its war against Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has said. The Ukrainian President alleged that Moscow was recruiting nationals from 47 countries through “deception and tricks”.

At the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday, Zelensky asked the other countries to prevent their citizens from being drawn into the Russia-Ukraine war.

“We know that Russia uses citizens of 47 countries in its war. Ghana, Nepal, Tajikistan, India, Yemen, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Belarus, Sudan, South Africa, many others... We also see people dying on the battlefield who are not Russians — people from your countries, 47 countries, who ended up in Russia through deception and tricks,” the Ukrainian president said.

The Ukrainian president addressed representatives of the countries whose citizens he claimed were fighting in the war. He asked them to protect their nationals.

“[Russian President Vladimir] Putin is always looking for someone who can help him kill more, kill more people for every kilometre of land, take more territory and take another country instead of simply stopping and running his own country,” Zelensky said at the UN.

“Do not let Putin drag you into this war. Limit his room to act, limit his money, limit his war,” he added.

The Russian armed forced recruited 227 Indian nationals, according to figures released by the ministry of external affairs. Of these, 139 had been discharged, while 51 died, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said earlier this month.

Misri said New Delhi remained in discussions with Moscow to secure the release and repatriation of the remaining Indians.

Zelensky also called for measures to restrict Russia’s ability to finance and sustain the war. He said Moscow’s oil industry was facing significant pressure.

He clarified that Ukraine’s objective was not to target oil, fuel supplies, factories or ports for their own sake. Instead, he said Kyiv wanted to reduce Russia’s ability to generate revenue for the war.

“Oil itself is not Ukraine’s target, not our target, not gasoline or diesel, not factories or ports … Our target is Russia’s ability to finance this war, to drag it out, to make it more brutal and more destructive,” he said.

“Russia’s finances and Russia’s production are what must be stopped if Putin is to be stopped,” he added. Zelensky has also asked India, China and Turkey to reduce their energy trade with Russia.

“Russia is basing its economy on India, sometimes Turkey and China. And it is obvious if these guys stop their energy trade with Russia, then it (Russia) will have to stop fighting the war,” he told The Wall Street Journal.

India has maintained that its oil purchases are guided by market conditions and national energy-security requirements. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that India's energy decisions take into account the interests of Indian consumers and the economy overall.

The Ukrainian president also accused North Korean leader Kim Jong Un of sending troops to Russia to support its military operations against Ukraine. Zelensky alleged that Pyongyang was receiving advanced military capabilities, including assistance related to ballistic missiles and drone technology, in return.

“Why should Koreans give their lives in a war against Ukraine?” he asked. “Recently, we sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea. These guys are not easy to capture alive,” he said.

Lebanon needs international force after peacekeepers leave, PM tells UN chief

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 21: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Monday that Lebanon needed a UN-sponsored international force to stay in the country's south after the current UN peacekeeping mandate expires.

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon , which currently counts around 7,500 peacekeepers from 46 countries, has acted as a buffer between Lebanon and Israel since 1978.

But under US pressure, the UN Security Council voted last year to halt the force's mandate at the end of this year.

Meeting Guterres at the UN headquarters in New York, Salam "stressed the importance of maintaining an international presence under the umbrella of the United Nations in the south in the post-UNIFIL phase", according to a statement from the premier's office.

This should be in a way that "ensures the continuation of the functions of monitoring, reporting and liaison, contributes to preserving stability, and supports the process of extending the Lebanese state's authority over all its territory", Salam added, according to the statement.

UNIFIL's looming departure comes as Israel maintains troops in a self-declared "security zone" running around 10 kilometres deep inside south Lebanon along the border.

Israel launched heavy airstrikes and a ground invasion after Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in March by attacking Israel in support of the militant group's backer Iran.

Last week, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that Lebanon wanted a new force, European or otherwise, to prevent a security vacuum after the peacekeepers depart, but that "the best and most optimal option remains extending UNIFIL's mandate".

The creation of a new force to succeed UNIFIL was also on the agenda of a meeting last week in Paris between Aoun, French President Emmanuel Macron and King Abdullah II of Jordan.

France and Italy have said they want to set up a multinational coalition to succeed UNIFIL.

In a June report, Guterres said peacekeepers would be needed after UNIFIL's mission expires.

Salam also told Guterres that around 329,000 people are still displaced in Lebanon since the latest conflict erupted, urging support for the humanitarian response.

Michelle Bachelet exits UN chief race after low poll support

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 20: Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has withdrawn from the race to become the next United Nations secretary-general, ending her bid to become the first woman to lead the world body in its 80-year history.

Bachelet, 74, announced her decision on Saturday in a video posted on Instagram. “Today I announced that I have decided not to continue with my candidacy for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations,” she said.

She added that she did not regret “having taken on this great challenge” even if “the time was not right” for the kind of candidacy she had sought to represent.

Her withdrawal comes after the UN Security Council released the third informal straw poll, held on Friday, in which she received just one “encourage” vote, 11 “discourage” votes and three “no opinion” votes, compared with six encouraging votes in July and two in August.

The same poll put Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan, currently head of the UN’s Trade and Development body, in the lead with nine encouraging votes, closely followed by Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett with eight.

Other candidates still in the running include the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Rafael Grossi, former Senegalese President Macky Sall and Ecuadorian diplomat Maria Fernanda Espinosa.

To be recommended by the Security Council, a candidate needs at least nine of its 15 members to vote in favour and must avoid a veto from any of the five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – before a final vote in the General Assembly.

Bachelet was nominated by Chile in February with backing from Brazil and Mexico. Only one Latin American, Peru’s Javier Perez de Cuellar, has ever held the UN’s top job, and an unofficial rotation among regions had put Latin America in line for this cycle.

Whoever succeeds Antonio Guterres, the current secretary-general, whose term ends on December 31, will take charge of an organisation grappling with dynamic crises.

Guterres warned member states earlier this year that the UN faced “imminent financial collapse”, with $1.57bn in unpaid dues piled up by the end of 2025 and only a fraction of countries fully paid up.

World leaders converge on New York next week for the General Assembly’s annual high-level session, opening Tuesday under the theme “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation”.

Guterres warned that geopolitical divides among major powers – some of whom “themselves violate international law and sit in the Security Council” – have left the body deadlocked on Gaza, Ukraine and other crises, a dysfunction the still-unresolved race to succeed him will do little to fix on its own.

UN nuclear watchdog spots construction activity at Iran’s suspected nuclear site

GENEVA, Sept 10: With the Iran-US war reigniting after a brief lull, the United Nations atomic watchdog reportedly said it observed construction activity at Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily-fortified site suspected of housing nuclear-related activities.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has yet not inspected the tunnel complex but remote imagery indicates new movement at the site just south of Tehran’s main uranium-enrichment plant, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said Thursday.

“There are some indications that there is movement around this construction site,” Grossi was quoted as saying. “We don’t have any concrete information as to activities that may be taking place there.”

Pickaxe Mountain, located near Iran's heavily damaged Natanz uranium enrichment facility, is a fortified site with two deeply buried tunnel complexes.

Grossi made the remarks after the IAEA’s board of governors referred Iran’s nuclear file to the UN Security Council for non-compliance with requirements related to its atomic activities.

Earlier, Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) cited new satellite imagery that allegedly showed heightened construction activity in 2026 on Pickaxe. Analysis can neither confirm nor deny reports that Iran moved centrifuges into the site, but the nature of activity suggests the facility is not yet capable of enriching uranium, CSIS said in its report. The think tank noted that the ‘images reveal more road activity at Pickaxe Mountain in 2026 than at any point in the site’s history.’

US President Donald Trump also mentioned the Pickaxe at a Republican rally on Wednesday and said, “We notice there’s a little activity at Pickaxe. I would advise Iran not to get cute because we will have to hit them very hard.”

Trump has been threatening strikes on Pickaxe Mountain since at least mid-July.

Pickaxe is located in the Zagros Mountains 220 km (140 miles) south of Tehran and the activity on the nuclear site was initiated after saboteurs attacked an Iranian centrifuge workshop six years ago.

“They said at the time, ‘we are going to put everything in tunnels, inside a mountain.’” Grossi was quoted as saying. “This was going to be impermeable and protected from attacks.”

UN nuclear watchdog board 'reports' Iran to the UN Security Council for the first time in two decades

VIENNA, Sept 9: The UN atomic watchdog's board on Wednesday reported Iran to the UN Security Council for the first time in 20 years for failure to cooperate in a long-running investigation into uranium traces detected by inspectors at various undeclared sites in Iran.

Twenty-three countries on the IAEA's 35-member board of governors voted for the resolution at IAEA headquarters in Vienna.

China, Russia and Niger opposed it, while eight countries abstained and one didn't vote as it was in arrears, according to diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the outcome of the closed-door vote.

The resolution was put forward by the United States, Britain, France and Germany.

The diplomatic move has been under consideration since June 2025, when the IAEA board found Iran officially in noncompliance with its nonproliferation obligations because of Tehran's lack of cooperation in a long-running investigation into uranium traces detected by inspectors at various undeclared sites in Iran.

Western officials suspect that the uranium traces could provide further evidence that Iran had a secret nuclear weapons program until 2003.

Iran says that it's not pursuing nuclear weapons, and its program is entirely peaceful.

Iran's referral to the UN Security Council comes amid a further escalation in the US war with Iran.

The US this week destroyed five Iranian oil tankers and Tehran hit back at American targets in Jordan, the latest burst of back-and-forth strikes that have lurched the sides back toward open hostilities in a more than 6-month-old war.

Reporting Iran to the UN Security Council now shifts the responsibility to a higher authority that is able to enact further measures, including sanctions or asset freezes.

But specific punitive measures by the UN are unlikely in this case since Iran's allies Russia and China hold veto power on the UN Security Council.

The draft resolution, requested the IAEA director general Rafael Grossi "to report this resolution and the previously adopted resolutions … to all Members of the Agency and to the Security Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the IAEA Statute."

The resolution also reiterated its call upon Iran "to urgently remedy its non-compliance with its Safeguards Agreement by taking all steps deemed necessary by the Agency and the Board, so that the Director General can provide the necessary assurances regarding … the non-diversion of nuclear material."

Since Israel and the US struck Iran's nuclear sites during the 12-day war in June 2025, Iran hasn't given IAEA inspectors access to nuclear sites that were affected by the strikes.

The IAEA also has been unable to verify the status of the stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium since the June bombing.

According to the IAEA, Iran maintains a stockpile of 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity - a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.