Prime Minister Narendra Modi has derarted for Italy on Thursday to attend the Group of Seven (G7) Summit, marking his first international trip since beginning his third consecutive term.
The summit, scheduled for June 13-14 in the Apulia region, will feature participation from the seven member countries—US, UK, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and France—along with the European Union. India has been invited as an Outreach Country.
Indian Ambassador to Italy, Vani Rao, highlighted that PM Modi will play a significant role at this global platform, engaging with other world leaders on issues crucial to India and the Global South. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni extended the invitation to PM Modi. This will be India's 11th G7 Summit and PM Modi's fifth consecutive participation.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra emphasized the visit's importance, noting it as PM Modi's first overseas trip in his third term. He will have bilateral meetings with G7 leaders and other Outreach nations, including discussions with Italian PM Giorgia Meloni to review bilateral ties.
The G7 Summit's Outreach Session will focus on artificial intelligence, energy, Africa, and the Mediterranean. Kwatra stated that India's involvement in the G7 Summit underscores its increasing recognition and contributions to resolving global challenges. India's leadership in the G20 and initiatives like the Voice of the Global South Summit have brought attention to the concerns of the Global South on the global stage.
Under Italy's G7 Presidency, the summit will include leaders from the member states, the European Council, the European Commission, and several invited nations and international organizations, such as Turkiye, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
India and Italy share a strategic partnership, collaborating in global initiatives like the International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative, Global Biofuel Alliance, and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC). Bilateral trade stands at USD 15 billion, making Italy India's fourth-largest trading partner in the EU.
This visit follows several high-level engagements between the two nations. PM Modi previously visited Italy for the G20 Summit in 2021, and Italian PM Meloni visited India in March 2023 for the Raisina Dialogue and the G20 Summit.
PM Modi's choice of Italy for his first trip abroad in his third term is significant. His previous first international visits were to Bhutan in 2014 and the Maldives in 2019, reaffirming his commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with neighboring countries.
During his Bhutan visit in June 2014, PM Modi met with the King and Queen of Bhutan and held talks with his Bhutanese counterpart, Tshering Tobgay. His Maldives visit in June 2019 focused on enhancing the "Neighbourhood First" policy, emphasizing strong bilateral ties with Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. PM Modi addressed the Maldivian Parliament and announced India's support for the conservation of the Maldives' Friday Mosque.
