PM Modi heads for G7 summit in Italy today, first foreign trip of third term
NEW DELHI, JUN 13 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to leave for Italy on Thursday to participate in the 50th G7 leaders’ summit. This marks his first international trip since assuming office for the third term.
Italy extended an invitation to India to attend the G7 Summit as an Outreach Country, scheduled for June 14. During the summit, PM Modi will engage in a bilateral meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues and chart the course for future cooperation.
As the current Chair of the G7, Italy is hosting the gathering of the bloc of seven major advanced economies, including Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the European Union.
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The summit, held at the luxurious Borgo Egnazia resort in Italy’s Apulia region from June 13 to 15, is expected to focus on pressing global challenges, including the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict.
PM Modi is likely to meet US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.
“He (Biden) expects to see Prime Minister Modi here. It’s up to the Indians to formally confirm his attendance, but our expectation is that the two of them will have the opportunity to encounter one another,” Sullivan stated.
This will be PM Modi’s fifth consecutive participation in the G7 summit, with India having attended ten previous summits. On June 14, he will also take part in the outreach session, where the focus will be on Artificial Intelligence (AI), energy, Africa, and the Mediterranean.
“The G7 points to increasing recognition and contribution of the efforts that India has been consistently making including those of peace, security, development and environment preservation,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said.
“PM’s participation in the G7 summit would also provide a timely opportunity to follow up on outcomes of the G20 Summit held under India’s presidency last year and deliberate on issues focused on the global south,” Kwatra added.
Ahead of the PM’s first visit abroad in this term, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Modi, saying he is flying to Italy to “salvage his diminished international image” at this year’s G7 Summit.
-PTI
