PM Modi Heads To Italy For G7 Summit, Ukraine And Gaza Wars To Dominate

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is heading to Italy to attend a summit of Group of Seven, known as the G7, which is likely to be dominated by Ukraine and Gaza ceasefire talks.

The summit will be held between June 13-15 at the luxurious Borgo Egnazia resort in Apulia region, with leaders flying in from the seven member countries, US, UK, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and France, as well as the European Union.

India, which has been invited to the G7 summit as an outreach country, has defence and maritime cooperation on its agenda, according to ambassador Vani Rao.

"Defence and security will be an important pillar that we want to build here. We are looking at cooperation in critical technologies, linking the defence industries of the two countries and also maritime cooperation," Ms Rao told ANI.

PM Modi, a special invitee, will leave for Italy on Thursday with a high-level delegation, which will be his first overseas tour since returning as the Prime Minister for the third time, said Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra.

He will follow up on some of the key issues discussed during India's G20 presidency, said Ms Rao.

With Ukraine expected to be among the talking points at the summit, India has reiterated that the best option to resolve the conflict is dialogue and diplomacy. "We have always been in the forefront to talk about not just the conflict, the need for dialogue and diplomacy but also the way the conflict is impacting on the priorities and interests of the developing countries," said Mr Kwatra.

At the summit in Italy, President Biden will be among the top leaders he will meet. "Biden expects to see PM Modi in Italy and the two leaders will have the opportunity to encounter each other," US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has said.

PM Modi is also expected to hold a meeting with Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and other leaders to review bilaterial ties.