Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Brindisi Airport in Apulia, southern Italy, to participate in the Outreach session of the G7 Summit and hold bilateral talks with various world leaders on Friday.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, confirmed Modi’s arrival in a video message from the airport.
“The Prime Minister of India has arrived at Brindisi Airport in Italy to participate in the G7 Summit,” Jaiswal announced. He added that Modi’s schedule on Friday would be packed with several bilateral meetings alongside his address at the Outreach session of the G7 Summit.
During his one-day visit, Modi will join a summit session titled "Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Africa-Mediterranean," hosted by Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni. Pope Francis is also set to attend the session and hold bilateral talks with Modi.
These meetings are scheduled to take place at the luxurious Borgo Egnazia resort, the summit venue.
In a departure statement on Thursday evening, Modi expressed his eagerness to engage with fellow world leaders on various global issues. “I look forward to meeting fellow world leaders and discussing a wide range of issues aimed at making our planet better and improving the lives of people,” Modi said.
Reflecting on his previous visits to Italy and the significance of his current trip, Modi stated, “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 into our bilateral agenda. We remain committed to consolidating the India-Italy strategic partnership and bolstering cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean regions.”
The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of the Outreach session, focusing on artificial intelligence, energy, Africa, and the Mediterranean. He said that the opportunity to create greater synergy between the outcomes of the G20 Summit held under India’s Presidency and the forthcoming G7 Summit.
“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 crucial for the Global South,” he added.
India hosted the G20 Summit in New Delhi last September, with many world leaders attending the Apulia meet. Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni welcomed Modi as the President of the Council of Ministers of Italy on Friday.
In her opening address on Thursday, Meloni said the significance of hosting the summit in southern Italy, a strategic choice aimed at strengthening dialogue with the Global South.
“It is no coincidence that we are hosting the summit in Apulia. We did this because Apulia is a region of southern Italy and the message we want to launch is that the G7, under the Italian presidency, wishes to strengthen its dialogue with the nations of the Global South,” Meloni stated.
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict is expected to dominate the agenda, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joining the discussions.
While India has consistently advocated for “dialogue and diplomacy” as the best approach, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is leading calls for decisive efforts to support Ukraine.
“We must be decisive and creative in our efforts to support Ukraine and end [Russian President] Putin’s illegal war at this critical moment,” Sunak said. He announced up to GBP 242 million in bilateral assistance to Ukraine, aimed at supporting the country’s immediate humanitarian, energy, and stabilization needs, as well as laying the foundations for longer-term economic and social recovery and reconstruction.
Recalling Modi's statement from September 2022, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said that "today's era is not of war."
He reaffirmed India’s commitment to offering assistance to alleviate the challenges faced by the Global South due to the conflict, including humanitarian aid to Ukraine and support for affected regions.
Besides India, Italy has invited leaders from 11 developing countries in Africa, South America, and the Indo-Pacific region to attend the G7 Summit. Modi’s participation in these discussions aims to provide a platform for sharing India’s perspectives on global issues and enhancing collaboration with other world leaders.
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