The series of domestic political crises has sipped into Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's diplomatic agenda. He will be addressing the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly on 24, September.
But beyond that, he is unlikely to have many bilateral meetings except with the leaders of India's neighbourhood. Again, the ministry sources say he is unlikely to have a structured meeting with Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
So far, no meeting is fixed with United States President Barack Obama or any other Western leaders or with Chinese leadership.
He will be meeting Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the newly-appointed Nepal Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai on the sidelines of his four-day visit, says ministry source.
His visit to the United Nations after the gap of two years will have focus on India's neighbourhood, but that seems to be due to late decision to attend United Nations General Assembly by the Prime Minister's Office.
This will be PM's first visit to UN after India was elected for a two-year term as a non-permanent member of the Security Council.
Talking about possibility of PM's meeting with the Pakistan PM, government sources say that "they may bump into each other' on sidelines of UNGA but, as on Friday, no schedule was finalised.
Singh will arrive in New York on September 22, and will be leaving on the 26th. On September 25, some important meeting can be fixed at the last minute, sources hope.
It seems that Singh's very late decision to go to New York for UNGA (because of Anna Hazare's fast, and other political crisis in absence of party president Sonia Gandhi's illness), has taken it's toll.
According to sources, he took the decision two days after Hazare broke his fast. Ministry sources claim that Singh is unlikely to meet Obama, who will be leaving New York before the PM's arrival.
It was speculated that Singh may go to Washington, but ministry sources had ruled out such possibility, at time of writing this report. Ministry sources argued, "The PM will have many other chances this year to meet world leaders, including Obama."
"On October 21, 2011, the PM could have a bilateral meeting with Obama on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Bali, Indonesia," explained the ministry source.
Ministry sources, while defending the PM's lackluster schedule in New York, said that soon after his New York visit, the PM will be going to Durban to attend the India, Brazil and South Africa summit on October 18 and 19.
He is also attending the next G-20 meet that would take place in Cannes on November 3 and 4. Leaders of 20 countries, including India will be discussing economic reforms and health of the global economy there.
Maldives will host the 17th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Summit on November 10 and 11. The PM will meet again meet the leaders of India's neighbourhood again.
The issue that is going to have biggest worldwide coverage will be the Palestinian bid for statehood. Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas will be forwarding a formal request asking the United Nations to accept Palestine as its 194th member at the General Assembly.
The wordings of the resolution, mild or radical, is expected to cause a lot of political tensions. India's stand is that Israel and Palestine, both can exist side by side.
Although India has always, recognised Palestine's rights, the nuances of India's stand on resolution for recognition of Palestine will depend on wordings of the resolution, says sources.
