India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend the UN General Assembly starting September 23 in New York. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will deliver India’s address on his behalf. Analysts cite domestic priorities, election preparations, and growing confidence in India’s multilateral and bilateral diplomacy as reasons. While critics warn that Pakistan may exploit Modi’s absence on Kashmir issues, supporters see it as a sign of India’s strategic focus on regional and global alliances beyond the UN platform.