India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, held discussions with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the International Migration Review Forum in New York, reinforcing India’s growing engagement on global migration and international cooperation issues.
Following the meeting, Singh described the interaction as productive in a post shared on social media platform X. The discussions took place on the sidelines of the UN’s Second International Migration Review Forum, where leaders and diplomats from multiple countries gathered to address challenges and opportunities linked to global migration, mobility, and international workforce movement.
During his visit to New York, Singh also hosted a reception at India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations for heads of delegations attending the forum. The event came after he addressed the forum’s plenary session, where discussions focused on strengthening cooperation related to safe, orderly, and regular migration.
In addition to migration-related diplomacy, Singh participated in a commemoration event marking the anniversary of Operation Sindoor. The event paid tribute to the role of India’s armed forces and highlighted the country’s continued commitment to combating terrorism. Singh stated that India remains firm in its resolve to confront terrorism and defend national security interests. The gathering honored what officials described as the exceptional professionalism and bravery demonstrated by India’s military forces during the operation.
On the sidelines of the forum, Singh also held several bilateral meetings with international leaders and officials to discuss migration partnerships and broader diplomatic cooperation. Among them was a meeting with Hans Leo Cacdac, the Philippines Secretary for Migrant Workers, where both sides explored collaboration on labor mobility and migration-related matters affecting their citizens.
Singh additionally met Ecuador’s Deputy Minister of Human Mobility, Saul Pacurucu, to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation on safe and regulated migration systems, mobility partnerships, and issues of mutual interest between the two countries.
Another significant discussion took place with European Union Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner. During their talks, both sides reviewed progress under the India-European Union framework on mobility cooperation and discussed developments related to the newly launched Legal Gateway Office for the information and communications technology sector. The initiative is expected to support professional mobility and create structured pathways for skilled workers.
The Indian minister also met Bart Van Den Brink, the Netherlands Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Asylum and Migration, where discussions centered on strengthening collaboration on migration management and international mobility policies.
India’s active participation at the forum reflects its broader diplomatic strategy of deepening international cooperation on migration, workforce mobility, and global governance. Analysts believe these engagements also demonstrate India’s increasing role in shaping conversations on international migration policy, economic mobility, and multilateral collaboration at the United Nations level.
