UN Secretary General pays tribute to victims of 26/11 attacks in Mumbai

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday paid tributes to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai on the first day of his three-day visit to India.

Accompanied by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, Guterres placed a foral wreath at the 26/11 attacks memorial in the hotel.

It is the UN chief's first visit to India since his second term in office commenced in January. He had earlier visited the country in October 2018 during his first term at the top office.

Guterres landed in Mumbai on Wednesday shortly after midnight via a commercial flight from London. He was greeted by senior Maharashtra government officials on arrival.

He later drove to the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in south Mumbai, where he paid tributes to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks.

The Taj Mahal Palace hotel was one of the targets of the horrific 26/11 terror attacks in 2008.

Guterres will deliver a public address at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai on the subject -- "India @75: UN-India Partnership: Strengthening South-South Cooperation" later in the day, before flying to Gujarat.

The UN secretary general will join Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event relating to the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) in Gujarat's Kevadiya on October 20.

His visit to the country comes more than a week before the UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee holds its two-day deliberations in India.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar would hold bilateral discussions with Guterres on issues of global concern, steps to deepen India's engagement with the UN, including through the country's upcoming presidency of the G20.

In Kevadiya, Guterres is expected to pay floral tributes at the Statue of Unity, the MEA said, adding that he will also visit the country's first solar-powered village in Modhera (Gujarat) and other development projects in the area.

The UN secretary general will also visit the Sun temple in Modhera, before departing from Mumbai for Singapore late Thursday night, an official said.