Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to embark on his first international trip since beginning his third term in office. He will be traveling to Italy this week to attend the annual summit of G7 advanced economies. The summit, scheduled to take place from June 13 to 15 in the luxurious resort of Borgo Egnazia in Italy’s Apulia region, is expected to address pressing global issues such as the conflict in Ukraine and Gaza. Some of the prominent leaders attending the summit include US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Sources familiar with Modi’s upcoming visit to Italy have revealed that he is slated to depart for Italy on June 13 and return late on June 14. While there has been no official confirmation of the visit from the Prime Minister’s office yet, it is anticipated that Modi will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, and NSA Ajit Doval. During his visit, Modi is expected to engage in several bilateral meetings, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni being one of the key counterparts.
Modi’s attendance at the G7 summit marks a significant international engagement, especially in the wake of the ongoing global crises. The G7, which consists of the US, the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, and Japan, is currently being chaired by Italy. The Italian presidency of the G7 has emphasized the importance of upholding the rules-based international system and addressing conflicts such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the turmoil in the Middle East.
Apart from the regular G7 members, Italy has extended invitations to leaders from several developing countries across different regions to participate in the summit. The European Union, although not a member of the G7, will also partake in the annual gathering. With a focus on key global issues and cooperative efforts for stability and progress, the upcoming G7 summit in Italy is poised to be a vital platform for international dialogue and collaboration.
