G7 Summit: PM Modi To Travel To Italy In First Foreign Trip Of Third Term

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to travel to Italy on Thursday to attend the yearly gathering of G7 developed nations—his first foreign trip in his third term. Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said the PM's involvement in the G7 meeting will offer a chance to review the results of the G20 summit conducted during India's leadership last year.

The G7 summit, to be held in the luxury resort of Borgo Egnazia in Italy's Apulia region from June 13 to 15, is likely to be dominated by the raging war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza.

Modi had attended the previous G7 summit in Hiroshima in May last year.

The group of seven meeting will involve key leaders, including US President Joe Biden, his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Canada's Justin Trudeau. The European Union will also be represented by their top officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also scheduled for a session on the Russian invasion of his country.

Besides India, Italy has invited leaders from 11 developing countries in Africa, South America and the Indo-Pacific region to attend the summit.

"We have always maintained that dialogue and diplomacy is the best option to resolve it," Kwatra said, when asked about the Ukraine conflict.

The foreign secretary said India's regular participation in the G7 summit points to increasing recognition of New Delhi's efforts to address global challenges. Responding to a question, he said India will participate in the peace summit in Switzerland at an appropriate level.

Kwatra did not specify who will represent India at the summit.

The prime minister is set to hold a number of bilateral meetings including with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

(With text inputs from PTI)