Modi government's packed diplomatic calendar signals intensified outreach

New Delhi hosts a flurry of high-level visits from Sri Lanka, Brazil, and others as India prepares for Putin, Albanese, and Macron's trips amid global trade and security shifts.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Aamarasuriya will be on a three-day visit to India from Thursday, while Brazil’s Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, who also serves as his country’s minister of industry and trade, arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday for a similar three-day engagement.

 

At the same time, New Delhi is preparing for a string of high-level visits, including Russian President Vladimir Putin in the first week of December, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in November, and Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty later this week.

 

Since June, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has intensified its diplomatic calendar, hosting several heads of state and government, foreign ministers, and key trade delegations, including those from the European Union (EU).

 

India’s busy outreach comes at a time when the global environment is shifting — following US President Donald Trump’s imposition of stiff tariffs on India and other countries — and as New Delhi seeks to project its position on global trade and security matters following Operation Sindoor.

  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has undertaken a dozen foreign visits since June, underscoring India’s push to strengthen its bilateral and multilateral ties.

 

In June, Modi visited Canada, where the two countries agreed to “reset” their strained ties, followed by stops in Cyprus and Croatia from June 15 to 19. He embarked on an eight-day tour from July 2 to 9, one of his longest since 2014, covering five nations — Brazil, Argentina, Trinidad and Tobago, Namibia, and Ghana.

 

Later in July, Modi visited the United Kingdom to sign the bilateral free trade agreement on July 24, and also travelled to the Maldives. By the end of August, he was in Japan for a bilateral visit and attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in China.

  

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has made two trips to the United States since June, including to attend the UN General Assembly in late September. He has also travelled to Russia, China, France, and Belgium, where he met EU leadership in Brussels.

 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has visited China, Australia, Morocco, and Mozambique in recent months. Meanwhile, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval has undertaken trips to China and Russia, and on Wednesday landed in Bishkek, the capital of the Kyrgyz Republic, for strategic consultations. 

Visits of dignitaries to India since August

• August 4-8: President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
• August 18-19: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi
• September 2-4: Singapore’s PM Lawrence Wong
• September 3-6: PM of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay
• October 8-9: UK PM Keir Starmer
• October 9–16: Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi
• October 12-14: Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand
• October 15-17: Vice President of Brazil Geraldo Alckmin
• October 16-18: Visit of Sri Lankan PM Harini Aamarasuriya 

Forthcoming visits

• Russian President Vladimir Putin in the first week of December
• Australian PM Anthony Alabanese likely in November
• Visit of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva early next year
• French President Emmanuel Macron in February archis mohan