New Delhi to engage UN Secy Gen Ban Ki-moon in high level discussions

New Delhi: India is set to engage United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon in high level discussions when he arrives here on his first official visit to the country. The trip is part of Ban's three-nation tour to the region that also takes him to Nepal and Bangladesh.

For the secretary general it may be a home coming of sorts as he began his diplomatic career in his country's embassy in New Delhi. He has also visited India earlier as South Korea's foreign minister.

Ban starts his two-day visit to the country with a meeting with ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, which will be followed by delegation-level talks with external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Ban will call on Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and president Pratibha Patil later in the day.

The secretary general is due to discuss a wide range of regional and international issues with Indian leaders, including UN reforms, the global financial crisis, the food crisis, terrorism and the situation in Myanmar.

The UN's peacekeeping operations, to which India has been a traditionally strong contributor, will also figure prominently in these talks. With global pressures for peace keeping operations mounting, and Indian expertise in such operations a much valued resource, the United Nations may well seek an increased commitment from India for such operations.

The United Nations budget also needs to be balanced with increased demands being made globally for its resources and decreased funding. More so in an environment of global recession. 

India may figure prominently in the UN's scheme of things for the future given the nature of the times.

On its part, India is likely to make a fresh pitch for the expansion of the UN Security Council, official sources said.