Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to depart for Italy on Thursday to attend the 50th G7 leaders’ summit. This trip will be his first international visit since beginning his third term in office.
Italy has invited India to participate in the G7 Summit as an Outreach Country, set to take place on June 14. During the summit, PM Modi will hold talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to discuss various bilateral matters and plan for future collaboration.
As the current Chair of the G7, Italy is hosting the summit of the seven major advanced economies, which include Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the European Union. The summit, happening at the luxurious Borgo Egnazia resort in Italy’s Apulia region from June 13 to 15, will address urgent global issues such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Israel-Hamas crisis.
PM Modi is expected to have a meeting with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, as mentioned by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
This will be PM Modi’s fifth consecutive attendance at the G7 summit, with India having participated in ten previous summits. On June 14, he will also join the outreach session focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI), energy, Africa, and the Mediterranean.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra highlighted that the G7 reflects the growing acknowledgment and contribution of India’s consistent efforts in areas like peace, security, development, and environmental preservation.
Prior to the Prime Minister’s initial overseas trip in this tenure, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticized Prime Minister Modi, suggesting that he is traveling to Italy to “restore his weakened international reputation” during this year’s G7 Summit.