Prime Minister Narendra Modi is heading to Italy on Thursday to attend the G7 Summit slated to be held on June 13 and 14, marking his first trip abroad after assuming office for the record-equalling third.
India has been invited as an Outreach Country to the Summit, which will see participation from the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and France, as well as the European Union. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni invited Modi for what will mark India’s 11th presence at the summit and the latter’s fifth consecutive attendance.
On the sidelines of the Summit, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings and discussions with the leaders of the G7, including US President Joe Biden. On Wednesday, National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan said that Biden and PM Modi would likely “have the opportunity to encounter one another” on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy.
“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. The nature of that encounter is still fluid because so much of the schedule is fluid,” Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to Italy to attend the G7 Summit, along with the US president.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra told reporters in New Delhi that Modi would travel to Italy on Thursday in his first overseas trip after assuming office for a third consecutive term. Ahead of the PM’s visit, a Gandhi statue was vandalized by pro-Khalistani groups in Italy. A controversial slogan related to Hardeep Singh Nijjar was written on the statue. Indian authorities have raised the matter with Italian authorities.
“We have the question relating to the vandalization of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. We have seen the reports of that and we have taken it up with the Italian authorities. We understand that suitable rectification has already taken place,” the Foreign Secretary said during the press conference.
On Tuesday, Kwatra confirmed that Modi would meet the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni . However, details of bilateral or meetings with other leaders are still being worked out, he said. Aboard Air Force One, Sullivan told reporters that Biden spoke with Modi over phone while they were in Paris to congratulate him on the election outcome and on being sworn in as Prime Minister for a third term.
(With agency inputs)
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