Modi arrives in Italy's Apulia for G7 Summit
June 14, 2024 09:17
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Apulia, southern Italy, to attend the Outreach session of the G7 Summit and hold bilateral talks on a wide range of issues with world leaders on Friday.
"The Prime Minister of India has arrived at Brindisi Airport in Italy to participate in the G7 Summit," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a video message from the airport.
"Tomorrow (Friday) is a packed day for him. We have several bilateral meetings with world leaders lined up. He will also be addressing the Outreach session of the G7 Summit," he said.
During his day-long visit, Modi will be participating in a summit session entitled Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Africa-Mediterranean to be hosted by Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni and joined by Pope Francis.
The Pope is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Modi, who has a series of meetings scheduled with the world leaders on the sidelines of the summit being held at the luxury resort of Borgo Egnazia.
"I look forward to meeting fellow world leaders and discussing a wide range of issues aimed at making our planet better and improving lives of people," said Modi, in a departure statement on Thursday evening.
He said he was "glad" that his first foreign visit in his third consecutive term as Prime Minister was to Italy for the G7 Summit.
"I warmly recall my visit to Italy for the G20 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," his statement reads.
"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 G20 Summit held under India's Presidency and the forthcoming G7 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," he added.
India hosted the G20 Summit in New Delhi last September, which was also attended by the world leaders gathering at the Apulia meet being held under the Italian presidency. The Italian Prime Minister, Georgia Meloni, will welcome Modi as the President of the Council of Ministers of Italy on Friday.
In her opening address on Thursday at the meeting of the G7 leaders -- US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel --she said southern Italy was chosen as the venue to send a strong message to the Global South. -- PTI
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