External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had to undertake a 670-kilometer (416-mile) road journey across the United States in September 2025 due to a partial U.S. government shutdown that grounded all commercial flights nationwide. The lengthy motorcade trip from the U.S.-Canada border to New York City was necessary to enable him to attend a scheduled high-level meeting with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at the UN headquarters in Manhattan.

According to a detailed report released by the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) on December 30, 2025, and made public on January 8, 2026, the shutdown left air travel completely unavailable. With no flights operating, U.S. security officials coordinated with Indian authorities to arrange a secure road transfer. A team of 27 DSS agents from the Dignitary Protection Division, along with personnel from the New York and Buffalo field offices, received the minister at the Lewiston–Queenston Bridge on the U.S.-Canada border and escorted him in an armored motorcade for the seven-hour drive through upstate New York.

The operation required meticulous planning due to challenging winter conditions, including freezing temperatures and limited visibility. Drivers were rotated to manage fatigue during the long hours on the road. At one point, the motorcade experienced a brief delay when a local sheriff's office explosive detection dog alerted to the minister's armored vehicle during a handover between security teams. Agents immediately secured the area, called in technicians, and conducted a thorough inspection, after which the vehicle was cleared and the journey continued without further incident.

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Upon arrival in New York City, the motorcade encountered an unrelated emergency when a security agent spotted a woman seriously injured in a hit-and-run accident. The agent provided immediate assistance while other team members coordinated with local police and fire services to manage traffic and ensure emergency responders could reach the scene. The incident did not affect the protection detail or disrupt Minister Jaishankar's schedule.

The Diplomatic Security Service emphasized that the complex operation successfully ensured the minister reached his destination on time, allowing the important meeting with the UN Secretary-General to proceed as originally planned. The DSS, a branch of the U.S. State Department, is responsible for safeguarding visiting foreign dignitaries and U.S. diplomats worldwide. The episode highlighted the extraordinary measures taken during a major government shutdown to maintain diplomatic commitments despite significant logistical disruptions.

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