Permanent Mission of India
New York
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Annual LLDCs Ministerial Meeting

Statement by Shri Sibi George, Secretary (West)
26 September 2025

Excellencies, Distinguished Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. I thank the Honourable Chair for convening this important meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Landlocked Developing Countries. India, being a transit country to both the LLDCs in South Asia, attaches great importance to our cooperation with the Group of LLDCs and fully supports the vision set out in the Awaza Programme of Action, adopted at the Third UN Conference on LLDCs in August 2025.

2. This new Programme of Action builds on the lessons of the Vienna Programme of Action (2014–2024), while charting a forward-looking path. It rightly underscores that geography must not determine destiny, and highlights the urgent need to reduce trade and transit costs, improve connectivity, strengthen resilience to climate change, and secure predictable and adequate financing. The outcomes of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville complement the Awaza priorities by calling for reforms to the international financial architecture, scaling up multilateral development bank lending, and enhancing debt sustainability – objectives that directly benefit LLDCs.

3. India stands ready to work with LLDCs in advancing these commitments. Through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, we are supporting projects in renewable energy, health, and climate resilience across LLDCs. Through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme, thousands of LLDC officials have been trained in trade facilitation, digital governance, and sustainable development – initiatives that echo the capacity-building priorities of the Awaza Programme of Action.

4. We also bring to this partnership our own experience in promoting transit and regional connectivity. The development of the Chabahar Port, the International North–South Transport Corridor, and India’s active engagement with BIMSTEC demonstrate our commitment to creating resilient transport and trade corridors. These efforts resonate with the Awaza call for strengthened transit cooperation and can offer practical lessons for LLDC partners.

Excellencies,

5. India reaffirms its solidarity with LLDCs and with the broader Global South. Together, let us ensure that the commitments made in Seville and Awaza translate into concrete improvements in connectivity, competitiveness, and resilience – so that no LLDC is left behind.

Thank you.

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