Astha Pandey/VOIWORLD
The revised provisional list of speakers for the 80th United Nations General Assembly, got published later this week. But it has also brought many speculations and arguments along with it. In UN protocol, even a single alphabet speaks volumes.
This year in the list next to India’s name is the letter “(M)”.
It signals that India will be represented not by its Prime Minister, but at the ministerial level, most likely by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
Reports suggest that PM was initially meant to speak for India, although at first glance, this may seem like a simple adjustment. In the past many times Prime Ministers have skipped the UNGA.
But this year’s absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the backdrop of escalating global trade tensions. At first Trump has slapped punishing tariffs on Indian goods, tied to Russian crude oil purchase. Then he complained about “losing India and Russia to China,” in response to which PM Modi in his usual calm tone, reaffirmed India’s “forward-looking” partnership.
But here’s the catch: In Geopolitics, Presence is power, Voice is power. Donald Trump will speak
for the US, Xi Jinping will speak for China. Modi will not.
The speculations of losing on a global conversation are fair to some extent.
Think about this, India, not just any nation, it is a subcontinent that positions itself as the “Voice of the Global South,” is risking its global visibility.
However this could also be signaling a deep strategic approach. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s presence reflects India’s maturity in global affairs, with an experienced diplomat who knows UN corridors well, to deliver tough messages.
Amidst geopolitical cross currents India will communicate that a rising power does not always need its top leader to occupy every stage, sometimes it is the strength of its institutions and its diplomats that speaks louder.
India is capable of commanding attention in multilateral spaces with credibility towards nation first approach, with no political undertone which any Prime Minister’s or President’s Speech might inevitably carry.
This also frees PM Modi to focus on pressing domestic priorities amidst the floods in North
India, and other issues.
