United Nations, August 20, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address world leaders during the high-level segment of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in September, according to the preliminary programme released by the UN.
Modi is slated to speak during the afternoon session on September 25, scheduled from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. in New York. The session will run from 12:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. on September 26 in India.
The timing of Modi’s address could be revised when the final speaking schedule is issued, potentially to accommodate audiences in India.
Modi has participated in six high-level UNGA sessions since becoming Prime Minister in 2014.
The 81st UNGA session will be presided over by Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, who was elected president of the General Assembly in June. He has chosen “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all” as the theme for the session.
The high-level week will begin on September 22. By convention, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is expected to deliver the opening address, followed by US President Donald Trump.
Under UN protocol, heads of state and monarchs are given priority, followed by heads of government and other senior representatives.
Several major geopolitical issues are expected to dominate discussions on the sidelines of the General Assembly, where leaders typically hold a large number of bilateral and informal meetings in addition to their formal addresses.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are not listed in the preliminary programme. Xi is reportedly expected to travel to Washington for a summit with Trump during the same week.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to address the General Assembly on September 23, amid international attention on developments involving the Strait of Hormuz.
The Ukraine conflict will also feature prominently, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov scheduled to address the Assembly.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to speak on September 24, while Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is pencilled in for the same afternoon session as Modi on September 25.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also scheduled to address the General Assembly on September 24.
The high-level UNGA week is expected to provide an important platform for world leaders to discuss conflicts, global security, economic challenges and multilateral cooperation.
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