G7 Summit: PM Modi heads to Italy, first overseas visit after assuming office for 3rd term

Scheduled to be held between June 13-14 in the Apulia region and India has been been invited as an Outreach Country to the Summit

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi headed to Italy on Thursday to attend a Summit of the Group of Seven (G7), marking his first trip abroad after assuming office for the third consecutive term.

Scheduled to be held between June 13-14 in the Apulia region and India has been been invited as an Outreach Country to the Summit, which will see participation from the seven member countries, US, UK, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and France, as well as the European Union.

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Indian ambassador to Italy, Vani Rao said that Prime Minister Narndra Modi will play an important role in one of the global platforms, to engage with other world leaders present at the G7 Summit on issues of importance to India, as well as to the Global South.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had invited PM Modi to attend the G7 Summit. It will be India’s 11th participation in the G7 Summit and PM Modi’s fifth consecutive participation at the G7 Summit. On the sidelines of the Summit, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings and discussions with the leaders of the G7 and Outreach nations as well as the international organisations.

Foreign Secretary Kwatra said that PM Modi is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni and the two leaders are expected to review the entire gamut of bilateral ties.

Addressing a special briefing, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said the visit assumes significance as it will be Prime Minister’s first overseas travel after assuming office in his third consecutive term.

“It will also afford him an opportunity to engage with other world leaders present at the G7 Summit on issues of importance to India, as also to the Global South. This will be India’s 11th participation in G7 Summit and Prime Minister Modi’s fifth consecutive participation at the G7 Summit,” he said.

Kwatra said that the focus of the G7 Summit’s Outreach Session will be on artificial intelligence, energy, Africa, and the Mediterranean. He noted that India’s participation at the G7 Summit points to increasing recognition and contribution of the efforts that India has been making in trying to resolve global challenges.

On January 1, Italy assumed the G7 Presidency for the seventh time. Notably, the G7 nations are the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the UK. Leaders of the seven member States, as well as the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission representing the European Union will attend the G7 Summit. Several States, including India, Turkiye and international organisations like the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), have also been invited by Italy to the Outreach Session of the G7 Summit.

In the special briefing, Kwatra said that Italy is also India’s partner in several global initiatives launched by India, including the International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative, Global Biofuel Alliance, and India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC).