New York: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday and discussed ongoing conflicts and their wider impact, particularly on the Global South.
Jaishankar shared the update on X, saying the talks focused on the need to “mitigate” the effects of current conflicts.
Glad to meet @UN Secretary General @antonioguterres today.
Our discussions focused on ongoing conflicts and the need to mitigate their impact, especially on the Global South. pic.twitter.com/uTqkvrK1VD
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 29, 2026
Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the two discussed multilateralism, India-UN cooperation and geopolitical developments, including the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.
He also said the UN chief expressed appreciation for India’s cooperation with the organisation.
The meeting came a day after Jaishankar warned that ongoing conflicts could create additional pressure on developing economies through disruptions to energy supplies, grain exports, fertiliser availability and global finance.
Speaking at an Asia Society event in New York, Jaishankar said significant fertiliser shortages were already emerging and that disruptions to grain shipments, particularly through the Black Sea, could worsen food security in the coming months.
He also cautioned that politically driven disruptions to oil supplies could push up prices, while conflicts may encourage capital to move towards safer markets and away from developing economies.
Jaishankar said countries should consider the wider effects of their decisions rather than acting solely in their own interests.
