Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the meeting of the United Nations Security Council on maritime security on Monday. PM Modi will preside over the meeting, since India has taken up the UN Security Council presidency in August 2021.
Among the other prominent dignitaries expected to attend the debate are Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, who is also President of the African Union, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
In light of the ongoing Covid pandemic, Modi will preside over the discussion virtually.
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President Putin's attendance is being regarded as a major gesture because he seldom attends such discussions; the previous one, according to those acquainted with the subject, as quoted by Hindustan Times, was potentially 15 years ago.
The maritime security debate is the first of three landmark events India will host as the UN Security Council chair in August. The other two are UN Peacekeeping discussions, to which India has been a generous and consistent donor, and counter-terrorism arguments, which India has championed at the global body for decades as a prominent victim, particularly from state-sponsored organisations and people over its western border.
The Monday meeting will be the first UN Security Council debate conducted by an Indian prime minister, despite the fact that India has held the rotating presidency of the world's top body for the seventh time as a non-permanent member.
President Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is participating in the debate as a briefer on behalf of the African Union, 54 of whose countries are part of the 55-member Africa group, which is the largest group of geographically classified groupings into which UN members are split. The Prime Minister of St Vincent and Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, had been confirmed to attend as well, but has withdrawn due to health concerns and will be represented by his son, who is a cabinet member.
Meanwhile, India's UN Security Council chair received its first criticism, and it came from predictable sides.
Pakistan has reacted angrily to the United Nations Security Council's rejection of its official request to attend the Friday briefing by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNMA) on the developing security situation in the country as US-led international forces leave after a 20-year stay.
Pakistan had submitted a formal request to join the conference, but it was denied since regulations state that neighbors do not automatically qualify to attend or address.
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Similarly, Some of Afghanistan's neighboring nations had indicated a wish to participate and speak at the summit, but they have respectfully turned away for the same reason.
