PM Modi heads to Italy today for G7 Summit, first overseas visit after assuming office
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday evening left for Italy to attend the outreach session of the G-7 meet at Borgo Egnazia in the Apulia region that will take place Friday, but is also expected to meet some leaders of the G-7 nations in separate bilateral meetings. This is likely to include a meeting with US President Joe Biden, but it remains to be seen if there will be a formal bilateral meeting between the two leaders in view of the “fluid schedules”. This will be the first foreign visit of Mr Modi in his third term in power.
US national security adviser Jake Sullivan was quoted as saying: “He [Biden] expects to see Prime Minister Modi here (in Italy)… Our expectation is that the two of them will have the opportunity to encounter one another. The nature of that encounter is still fluid because so much of the schedule is fluid.” Mr Sullivan made these remarks to reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to Italy to attend the G-7 summit, along with President Biden.
Mr Modi said in his departure statement that it would be “opportunity to deliberate on issues which are crucial for the Global South”, adding that he was also “looking forward to meeting other leaders participating in the summit”. Mr Modi said: “At the invitation of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, I am travelling to Apulia region in Italy to participate in the Group of Seven outreach summit on 14 June 2024. I am glad that my first visit in the third consecutive term is to Italy for the G-7 summit. I warmly recall my visit to Italy for the G-20 summit in 2021.
Prime Minister Meloni’s two visits to India last year were instrumental in infusing momentum and depth in our bilateral agenda. We remain committed to consolidate the India-Italy strategic partnership, and bolster cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and the Mediterranean regions.” He added: “During the discussions at the outreach session, the focus would be on artificial intelligence, energy, Africa and the Mediterranean. It will be an opportunity to bring greater synergy between the outcomes of the G-20 summit held under India’s presidency and the forthcoming G-7 summit, and deliberate on issues which are crucial for the Global South. I am also looking forward to meeting other leaders participating in the summit.”
It was confirmed earlier Wednesday that on the sidelines of the G-7 summit, Mr Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with Italian PM and G-7 summit host Georgia Meloni when both leaders will review the entire gamut of bilateral ties and the strategic partnership in areas including trade and defence.
Mr Modi will attend the G-7 summit as a special invitee that will be held there from June 13 to 15 in Apulia. The Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Israel-Gaza conflict are expected to be discussed prominently at the G-7 Summit. India is not a member of the G-7 grouping but Mr Modi has been regularly attending G-7 summits in the past few years following special invitations extended to India by the host nations. The G-7 grouping comprises seven of the worls’s “largest” advanced economies -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and Britain, apart from the European Union. Other nations expected to attend the G-7 summit on special invitations by host country Italy include Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Mauritania, South Africa, Tunisia, Turkey and the UAE.
