Swaraj in New York for UNGA, to also meet Tillerson

TIL Desk/World/New York/ External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj arrived in New York on Monday to represent India at the annual United Nations General Assembly session with a packed schedule of super diplomacy among an array of world leaders. During her week-long stay, Swaraj, leading a high-powered Indian delegation, is expected to hold about 20 bilateral and trilateral meetings with leaders attending the session.

Swaraj, was received at the airport by the Indian Ambassador to the United States Navtej Sarna, and India’s permanent representative to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin. She would kick off her official engagement later on Monday with a trilateral meeting with her American and Japanese counterparts Rex Tillerson, and Taro Kono respectively.

Aimed at lending momentum to cooperation between the three countries, the meeting also turns significant amid China flexing its muscles in the region. In a day jam-packed with consecutive meetings, Swaraj will also participate in a high-level meeting on UN reforms, hosted by the US and chaired by president Donald Trump. India is among the 120 countries who have supported the reform efforts of the UN Secretary General. India has said that the UN reforms need to be ‘broad- based and all-encompassing’ and the changes should not be restricted to its Secretariat only.