New Delhi
Minister of State for External Affairs and Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh will head the Indian delegation at the Second International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), scheduled to take place in New York from May 4 to 8, 2026.
Organised under the framework of the United Nations General Assembly, the IMRF is the main global platform for reviewing progress on the Global Compact for Migration and its linkages with the Sustainable Development Goals.
The forum’s agenda includes four interactive roundtable discussions involving multiple stakeholders, along with a policy dialogue and a plenary session. The event will conclude with the adoption of a Progress Declaration. This edition builds on the inaugural forum held in 2022, where India played an active role in advancing issues concerning its diaspora.
During the visit, Singh is set to present India’s national statement at the plenary and will also host a side event titled “Leveraging Digital Innovation in Migration Governance—The e-Migrate Experience of India.” He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with senior UN officials and representatives from participating countries.
Prior to this engagement, Singh visited Myanmar, where he underscored the longstanding cultural and spiritual ties between India and Myanmar. He paid a visit to the revered Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon and offered prayers, highlighting the deep-rooted connections between the two nations.
He also visited the Maravijaya Pagoda in Naypyidaw.
The Shwedagon Pagoda, one of Myanmar’s most significant religious landmarks, is believed to be over 2,500 years old and enshrines sacred relics associated with Gautama Buddha. The site stands as a symbol of shared cultural heritage and enduring ties between India and Myanmar.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also visited the pagoda in 2017. India has contributed to conservation efforts in Myanmar, including restoration work at the historic Ananda Temple, reflecting the strong civilisational and Buddhist linkages between the two countries.
