PM Modi scheduled to have series of bilaterals during G7 in Italy

New Delhi, June 13 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who left for Italy on Thursday evening to attend the Group of Seven (G7) Summit being held in Apulia, has a series of bilateral meetings lined up with several world leaders on the sidelines of the event.

PM Modi will attend the G7 Summit's Outreach Session on Friday at the invitation of Italy's Prime Minister Georgia Meloni.

Sources revealed that the Prime Minister will hold bilateral meetings on Friday, including with French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before leaving for Borgo Egnazia for the G7 meeting.

Following the Outreach session - which majorly focuses on artificial intelligence, energy, Africa, and the Mediterranean - PM Modi is expected to hold bilaterals with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italy's Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, and Japanese PM Fumio Kishida.

While there is a chance of them meeting informally during the official photo-op, there is no scheduled bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.

Meanwhile, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters en route Brindisi that US President Joe Biden and PM Modi will have an "opportunity to encounter one another" during the G7 session.

"President Biden actually spoke with Prime Minister Modi over phone while we were in Paris to congratulate him on the election outcome and on being named Prime Minister for a third term," said Sullivan.

"He expects to see Prime Minister Modi here. It's up to the Indians to formally confirm his attendance, but we expect that the two of them will have the opportunity to encounter one another. What the nature of that encounter will be is still fluid because so much of the schedule is fluid," the US NSA added.

This will be Prime Minister Modi's first overseas visit after assuming office for the third consecutive term, and his fifth consecutive participation in the Summit.

"I am glad that my first visit in the third consecutive term is to Italy for the G-7 Summit. 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 in our bilateral agenda. We remain committed to consolidate the India-Italy strategic partnership, and bolster cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and the Mediterranean regions," the Prime Minister said in his departure statement.

It will be for the 11th time that India will be taking part in the G7 Summit.

"During the discussions at the Outreach session, the focus would be on artificial intelligence, energy, Africa, and the Mediterranean. 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 which are crucial for the Global South," said PM Modi.

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