Page 6 - G7 Summit

PM Modi, Rishi Sunak review FTA negotiations, vow to boost India-UK ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met his British counterpart Rishi Sunak and is believed to have discussed bilateral relations and issues of common interests. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the G7 summit here in the southern Italian resort city. Sunak and Modi last met in person at the G20 Summit in New Delhi last September, when they had agreed to accelerate the FTA talks with the hope of signing off before India's general election. However, the trade talks are now expected to resume only after a new UK government is elected on July 4. The India-UK FTA negotiations, which opened in January 2022, are aimed at significantly enhancing bilateral trade currently worth around 38.1 billion pounds a year as per official statistics from earlier this year.

Economic shortsightedness is jeopardising Italy's G7 ambitions

In the 1990s, Italy initiated the largest privatisation programme in continental Europe, dismantling much of its industrial backbone instead of fostering innovation

G7 summit: PM Modi meets Pope Francis; invites him to visit India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday invited Pope Francis to visit India and said he admired the pontiff's commitment to serving the people. They met with a warm embrace at the Outreach session of the G7 Summit in Apulia, southern Italy where they joined other world leaders to deliberate on the topic of Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Africa and the Mediterranean. "Met Pope Francis on the sidelines of the @G7 Summit. I admire his commitment to serve people and make our planet better. Also invited him to visit India," Modi said in a post on X. Modi and the BJP have made several overtures to the Christian community before the general elections in the country. Modi was seen in a light-hearted exchange with the 87-year-old head of the worldwide Catholic Church, who was taken around the table in a wheelchair to greet each of the world leaders gathered at the summit venue of Borgo Egnazia. "It is up to each of us to make good use of AI, the Pope said in his address at the Outreach ..

PM Modi participates in G7 Outreach Session on AI, energy, Africa

The session was also addressed by President Emmanuel Macron of France. In his address, Macron praised PM Modi's initiative on AI and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) as G20 chair

Highlights of the day: G7 nations commit to reduce 75% of methane emissions by 2030

G7 Summit 2024 LIVE Updates: Catch all the latest news updates here

First pontiff to address G7 summit, Pope Francis raises alarm about AI

Pope Francis challenged leaders of the world's wealthy democracies on Friday to keep human dignity foremost in developing and using artificial intelligence, warning that such powerful technology risks turning human relations themselves into mere algorithms. Francis brought his moral authority to bear on the Group of Seven, invited by host Italy to address a special session at their annual summit on the perils and promises of AI. In doing so, he became the first pope to attend the G7, offering an ethical take on an issue that is increasingly on the agenda of international summits, government policy and corporate boards alike. Francis said politicians must take the lead in making AI human-centric, so that human decisions always remain made by humans and not machines. We would condemn humanity to a future without hope if we took away people's ability to make decisions about themselves and their lives, by dooming them to depend on the choices of machines, he said. We need to ensure and

PM Modi, French President discuss ways to further strengthen partnership

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met French President Emmanuel Macron and believed to have discussed ways to further bolster the bilateral ties and exchanged views on global issues. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the G7 summit here in the southern resort town of Italy. It is Prime Minister Modi's first foreign trip after assuming office for a third time this month. The two leaders last met in January when the French President visited India to attend the 75th Republic Day of India. During their last meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed their shared vision for bilateral cooperation and international partnership, outlined in Horizon 2047 and other documents from the July 2023 Summit. Horizon 2047 Roadmap sets an ambitious and broad-ranging course for the bilateral relationship for 2047, the centenary year of India's independence.

Italian PM Giorgia Meloni welcomes guest with 'Namaste', video goes viral

The heads of G7 nations reached Italy to participate in the 2024 Summit. PM Modi also arrived in Italy to participate in the G7 meeting, where India is invited as an outreach country

G7 leaders tackle migration issue on second day of summit in Italy

Leaders of the Group of Seven leading industrialised nations are turning their attention to migration on the second day of their summit Friday, seeking ways to combat trafficking and increase investment in countries from where migrants start out on often life-threatening journeys. The gathering in a luxury resort in Italy's southern Puglia region is also discussing other major topics, such as financial support for Ukraine, the war in Gaza, artificial intelligence and climate change, as well as China's industrial policy and economic security. But some divisions also appeared to emerge over the wording of the summit's final declaration, with disagreement reported over the inclusion of a reference to abortion. Migration is of particular interest to summit host Italy, which lies on one of the major routes into the European Union for people fleeing war and poverty in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Right-wing Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, known for her hard-line stance on the issue,

G7 Summit: Hopeful of productive discussions with world leaders, says PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he was looking forward to engaging in productive discussions with world leaders at the G7 Summit on Friday to address global challenges and foster international cooperation for a brighter future. The Prime Minister's comments came as he arrived in Apulia, southern Italy, to attend the Outreach session of the G7 Summit. 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, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a video message from the Brindisi Airport. 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 sidelin

PM Modi in Italy to attend G7 Summit; several meetings scheduled today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Italy's Apulia late Thursday night (local time) to attend the G7 Summit, where India is invited as an outreach country.As PM Modi touched down at Brindisi Airport in Apulia, he was received by India's Ambassador to Italy, Vani Rao, and other officials.This marks PM Modi's first trip abroad after assuming office for the third consecutive term."PM @narendramodi touches down at Brindisi airport in Apulia, Italy. Agenda includes participation in the Outreach session of the G7 Summit & substantive interactions with the global leaders on the sidelines. An action-packed day awaits!" the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, wrote in a post on X.Giving an overview of PM Modi's day-long visit to Italy, Jaiswal posted another video, as he sketched out the details of the Prime Minister's engagements with the world leaders on June 14."Namaste! The Prime Minister of India has arrived at Brindisi Airport in Italy to

G7 agrees to use frozen Russian assets for $50 billion loan for Ukraine

A Group of Seven summit opened on Thursday with agreement reached on a US proposal to back a USD 50 billion loan to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets as collateral, giving Kyiv a strong show of support even as Europe's political chessboard shifts to the right. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni welcomed the heads of state of the G7 leading industrialised nations to a luxury resort in southern Italy, saying she wanted the message of the meeting to be one of dialogue with the global south and unity. She likened the G7 to the ancient olive trees that are a symbol of the Puglia region, with their solid roots, and branches projected toward the future. Beyond discussions on Ukraine, the war in Gaza and China's industrial policy, Pope Francis will become the first pope to address a G7 summit, adding a dash of celebrity and moral authority to the annual gathering. He'll be speaking on Friday about the promises and perils of artificial intelligence, but is expected to also renew his appeal for

Apulia's Indian restaurant basks in G7 Summit warmth amid high demand

An Indian restaurant in Apulia's capital city of Bari is basking in the warmth of the G7 Summit being hosted in southern Italy as the staff work at speed to meet a rush of orders from the delegation accompanying Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will be attending an Outreach session on Friday. Namaste India, offering traditional dishes inspired by founder Rupinder Singh's native Punjab, has been abuzz with activity in the days leading up to the start of the start of the summit on Thursday. Its Hoshiarpur-born manager, Harsh Dhanda, expressed excitement at the prospect of creating food for officials accompanying the Prime Minister and enjoying the flavours of India far from home. It is so exciting that we have a chance to make sure that they can get a taste of some authentic Indian flavours away from home, Harsh Dhanda, the Bari-based manager, said in Hindi. Our restaurant only uses fresh, quality ingredients to ensure that every dish on offer is of the highest standard, he said. Th

AI, energy, Africa to be in focus, says PM Modi as he leaves for G7 Italy

As he embarks on a visit to Italy to attend an Outreach session at the G7 summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said its focus would be on artificial intelligence, energy, Africa, and the Mediterranean. Modi said this in a departure statement before leaving for the European nation in his first foreign trip after becoming prime minister for a third term. The prime minister said issues crucial for the Global South will also be deliberated upon at the Outreach session. The G7 summit, to be held in the luxury resort of Borgo Egnazia in Italy's Apulia region from June 13 to 15, is expected to be dominated by the raging war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza. "At the invitation of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, I am travelling to Apulia region in Italy to participate in the G7 Outreach summit on June 14," Modi said. The prime minister said he was glad that his first visit in the third consecutive term is to Italy for the G-7 Summit. "During the discussions at the Outreach .

G7 Summit: UK PM Sunak advocates for 'decisive' support for Ukraine

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations on Thursday began their three-day summit on global affairs in the southern Italian region of Apulia, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited for the Outreach session to be held on Friday. The Russia-Ukraine conflict is set to dominate the agenda as leaders of the G7 the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France and Japan are hosted by Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni at the luxury resort of Borgo Egnazia on the Adriatic coast. While India has reiterated its stance on dialogue and diplomacy as the best approach, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is leading calls for decisive efforts to support Ukraine whatever it takes. 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 in a statement ahead of the summit talks. The UK remains at the forefront of the international response as we have been from the outset

Flying to Italy for G7 to salvage diminished int'l image: Cong slams PM

The Congress on Thursday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his first visit abroad in his third term, saying he is flying to Italy to "salvage his diminished international image" at this year's G7 Summit. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the G7 Summit of the heads of state of USA, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, UK and Japan has been taking place since the late 1970s. Between 1997 and 2014, Russia was also a member, he pointed out. Since 2003, India, China, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa have also been invited to G7 Summits, Ramesh said. The most famous of the G7 Summits from India's point of view was in June 2007 in Helligendamm in Germany as it was here that the famous Singh-Merkel formula for ensuring equity in global climate change negotiations was first presented to the world, he said. "It is still talked about. Dr. Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Angela Merkel created history. Dr. Manmohan Singh had emerged as the voice of the Global Sou

G7 summit opens with deal to use Russia's frozen assets for Ukraine

A Group of Seven summit is opening Thursday with agreement on a US proposal to back a USD 50 billion loan to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets as collateral, giving Kyiv a strong show of support even as Europe's political chessboard shifts to the right. Diplomats confirmed that an agreement had been reached on the deal before the leaders even landed in southern Italy for the three-day summit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be on hand and is expected to sign a separate bilateral security agreement with US President Joe Biden. Beyond the Ukraine war, Pope Francis will become the first pope to address a G7 summit, adding a dash of celebrity and moral authority to the annual gathering that is being held this year in Italy's sun-drenched Puglia region. He'll be speaking Friday about the promises and perils of artificial intelligence, but is expected to also renew his appeal for a peaceful end to wars in Ukraine and Gaza. The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, ...

G7 Summit: Biden, Zelenskyy to sign deal to use Russian cash to help Kyiv

President Joe Biden and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will sign a bilateral security agreement between the US and Ukraine on Thursday when they meet on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Italy, as negotiators for the group have reached an agreement on how to provide Ukraine with up to USD 50 billion backed by frozen Russian assets, two people familiar with the matter said Wednesday. The international group of wealthy democracies has been discussing ways of using the more than USD 260 billion in Russian assets frozen outside the country after the February 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine to help Kyiv. European officials have resisted confiscating the assets, citing legal and financial stability concerns most of the frozen assets are located in Europe but the plan would use the interest earned on the assets to help Ukraine's war effort. The two people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the agreement before it was formally announced. An official with the French ...

Biden, Modi likely to meet on sidelines of G7 Summit: NSA Sullivan

US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would likely "have the opportunity to encounter one another" on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy, National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan said here Wednesday. He (Biden) expects to see Prime Minister Modi here. It's up to the Indians to formally confirm his attendance, but our expectation is that the two of them will have the opportunity to encounter one another. The nature of that encounter is still fluid because so much of the schedule is fluid, Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to Italy to attend the G7 Summit, along with the US president. India's Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra told reporters in New Delhi that Modi would travel to Italy on Thursday in his first overseas trip after assuming office for a third consecutive term. Italy has invited India to attend the 50th G7 Summit on June 14 as an Outreach Country. Modi would meet the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Kwatra

Russian forces launch deadly attacks on Ukraine ahead of G7 Summit; 9 dead

Russian forces launched new deadly attacks on Ukraine, killing at least nine people on Wednesday, a day before the leaders of countries that are some of Ukraine's biggest backers were to discuss how to slow Moscow's offensive. Ukrainian authorities said that along with the nine killed, 29 others, including five children, were wounded when Russian missiles hit an apartment block in Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's hometown. Zelenskyy said the strike has again proven that "Ukraine, together with its partners, must strengthen its air defences something that he has repeatedly appealed for with Ukraine's Western partners. The United States has agreed to send another Patriot missile system, two US officials said late Tuesday. Modern air defence systems are capable of providing maximum protection of people, our cities, and our positions," Zelenskyy said. And we need as many of them as possible. Earlier on Wednesday, Ukraine's air force said it shot down more than two