At the UN General Assembly, S Jaishankar held talks with Russian and Iranian counterparts on bilateral ties, BRICS and the Gulf conflict. The meetings came as India balanced diplomatic outreach, energy security and wider coordination after a new US sanctions law.

India held talks with Russia and Iran on the sidelines of the high-level UN General Assembly session in New York, days after US President Donald Trump signed a new law on sanctions on countries buying oil and gas from Moscow and Tehran. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, with the discussions covering bilateral ties, BRICS and the Gulf conflict.

Jaishankar also had a packed day of engagements at the UN, co-chairing the India-Gulf Cooperation Council Troika Ministerial Meeting and an event on AI and maritime security. The discussions ranged from trade, investment and energy ties with the GCC to the opportunities and risks linked to the use of artificial intelligence in the maritime domain.

After meeting Lavrov, Jaishankar said, "A good meeting with FM Sergey Lavrov of Russia today #UNGA81. Exchanged views on a number of ongoing issues. Also took stock of our bilateral and BRICS cooperation." Earlier this month, India hosted the BRICS Leaders' Summit, which was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

A readout of the one-on-one meeting issued by Russia's Foreign Ministry said the two leaders discussed "key issues of Russian-Indian cooperation, the schedule of upcoming bilateral contacts, and current regional and global issues, including the Ukraine crisis and the situation in the Middle East". It said they expressed their intention to continue efforts to strengthen the "special and privileged strategic partnership" and to maintain close coordination at the UN, the G20, BRICS and other international groupings.

Jaishankar also met Araghchi on Friday on the margins of the UNGA session. "Appreciate the conversation with FM @araghchi of Iran at the @UN #UNGA81. We discussed the latest developments with regard to the Gulf conflict. Will continue to be in touch," he said.

Last week, Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which authorises and expands statutory sanctions, tariffs and prohibitions on Russia, and extends existing sanctions on Iran. The law also authorises Trump to impose sanctions on Russia and steep tariffs on its trading partners such as India and China in the oil and gas sector. India has said it remains firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people and will continue to do so through diversified sourcing.

At the India-GCC Troika Ministerial Meeting, Jaishankar reviewed progress under the India-GCC Joint Action Plan 2024-28 and discussed ways to deepen the partnership. India welcomed the launch of negotiations for an India-GCC free trade agreement. Jaishankar said, "Look forward to strengthening ties in the areas of trade, investment, energy, food security, health, new technologies, culture and people-to-people exchanges. Thanked GCC leaderships for the support extended to the Indian community." India also reiterated its strong commitment to freedom of navigation and the safety of seafarers and commercial shipping.

Jaishankar later co-chaired an event titled AI in the Context of International Peace & Security, with an Emphasis on Maritime Security, alongside Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis. In a post on X, he said he had stressed the need to use the possibilities offered by AI, anticipate its consequences and reduce its risks. "This calls for an approach that enables innovation while remaining conscious of its security implications," he said. He added that the New Delhi Declaration emphasises democratic access to AI resources, building secure and trustworthy systems, investing in human capabilities, and using AI for economic growth and social good.

He said AI can improve maritime domain awareness, search and rescue, disaster response, the identification of suspicious activity, and the resilience of ports and critical infrastructure. At the same time, he said, it can also enable sophisticated reconnaissance, vulnerability mapping and cyber operations targeting vessels, communication networks and undersea infrastructure. Jaishankar said growing autonomy in maritime systems raises questions of attribution, accountability and escalation, while also shortening decision-making time. He said the UN Charter and international law, including the law of the sea, remain essential frameworks for state conduct in the maritime domain, adding: "Greater transparency, confidence-building, capacity development, technical cooperation and exchange of best practices are essential to ensure that AI is developed and used consistent with these principles." The day's engagements saw India discuss its ties with Russia and Iran, review its partnership with the GCC, and set out its position on the use of AI in maritime security, while also reiterating its focus on energy security, navigation safety and international coordination.

With PTI Inputs