New York

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday (local time) and discussed ongoing conflicts and the need to mitigate their impact, especially on the Global South.

In a post on X, Jaishankar said, “Glad to meet @UN Secretary General @antonioguterres today. Our discussions focused on ongoing conflicts and the need to mitigate their impact, especially on the Global South."

The meeting came a day after Jaishankar cautioned that ongoing global conflicts and disruptions to grain shipments and fertiliser production threatened to trigger a major food crisis in the coming months, placing severe compounding pressure on developing nations.

Speaking at an event organised by the Asia Society in New York on Monday (local time), Jaishankar linked the risks to strains across energy supplies, grain exports, fertilisers and global finance.

“We are already looking at major significant fertiliser shortages,” he said, adding that key grain exporters could face severe impediments in dispatching shipments, particularly through critical Black Sea corridors.

Glad to meet @UN Secretary General @antonioguterres today.

Our discussions focused on ongoing conflicts and the need to mitigate their impact, especially on the Global South. pic.twitter.com/uTqkvrK1VD

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 29, 2026

“So there is gonna be a major food crisis probably, you know, in the coming months,” Jaishankar said.

He also cautioned that politically driven decisions affecting oil supplies could inflate prices at a time when countries urgently require macroeconomic stability. Jaishankar noted that international conflicts drive capital towards safer financial havens, draining investments away from the Global South.

“Countries should not be so self-centred that you’re in your own world and take your decision,” he said, stressing the need for policymakers to consider the wider impact of their decisions.

Earlier on September 26, speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Jaishankar had urged all parties involved in ongoing conflicts to exercise restraint and de-escalate tensions.

“Countries far from conflicts are being penalised for no fault of theirs. Those most impacted often have the least say. This assembly must face up to the true state of affairs. This year, we are witnessing a conflict in the Gulf, one that is exacerbating an already difficult situation. We remain deeply concerned over continuing hostilities. The targeting of commercial shipping and seafarers, transiting international waterways, is simply unacceptable. India calls upon all parties to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, ensure protection of civilians, and uninterrupted flow of energy and commerce,” he had said.

On the West Asia conflict, Jaishankar had said, “India is prepared to do everything possible to ameliorate this situation, especially with regard to food and energy security. Tensions and violence also regrettably continue in West Asia or the Middle East. We strongly believe that a durable and lasting peace requires a two-state solution.”

ALSO READ: Oniza Drabu's The Big Book of Kashmiri Literature encases heritage

On the Russia-Ukraine conflict, he said, “As Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated, endless war must give way now to an end to war. India supports ongoing initiatives to bring peace.”