Modi to attend G7 in Italy, join Ukraine peace talks at 'appropriate' level

The G7 summit set to be held in Italy from June 13-15 in which several nations and key organisation will participate to deliberate on pressing issues including climate change and West Asia tensions

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will fly to Italy to attend the Group of Seven (G7) summit on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said.

The visit will mark Modi’s first overseas trip in his third term, which began on Sunday after he was sworn into office following the Lok Sabha elections 2024 result. 

Following the G7 summit, a Ukraine Peace summit is also set to be held in Switzerland, in which India will participate at an ‘appropriate level’, Kwatra noted in a press conference today.

Russia has not been invited to this summit, however, Moscow has said that it would not have attended the summit anyway.

“India’s regular participation at the G7 summit points to increasing recognition of New Delhi’s efforts to address global challenges,” he said.

This year’s G7 discussion will take place amid pressing world events including the devastating war in Palestine, Ukraine conflict, climate concerns among others.

The summit is being held in Borgo Egnazia (Fasano) in Italy’s Apulia from June 13-15. Italy assumed the summit’s presidency on January 1. Besides Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States are also members of the group.

Other than these seven nations, the European Commission will participate to represent the European Union. A total of nine countries including India will participate in the summit. The African Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations, World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development will also be represented by their top leaders at the key event.

Notably, Pope Francis will also arrive at the summit to represent the Holy See, the universal government of the Catholic Church which operates from the Vatican City.

The summit’s first discussion, to be held at 11.15 am June 13, will be on ‘Africa, climate change and development’, the official website states.

Discussions on the Middle East, Ukraine and artificial intelligence are also on cards.

Modi’s visit to Italy marks a key step in the India-Italy bilateral ties as the two nations elevated their ties to “strategic partnership” in March 2023. The decision was announced during Italian PM Giorgia Meloni’s visit to New Delhi.