Fasano [Italy]: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni received global leaders including UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau among others, for the 50th Summit of the Group of Seven (G7), scheduled for June 13 and 14.
Italian PM Meloni also received Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, as he arrived for the 50th G7 Summit in Italy.
Later, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived at Borgo Egnazia in Fasano and was received by the Italian Prime Minister.
PM Meloni also received the President of the International organisation, the European Council, Charles Michel on Thursday, who also arrived in Italy to attend the G7 Summit.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be heading to Italy today to attend the Summit of the Group of Seven (G7), marking his first trip abroad after assuming office for the third consecutive term.
The Summit is scheduled to be held between June 13 and 14 in the Apulia region where India has been invited as an Outreach Country to the Summit, which will see participation from the seven member countries, US, UK, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and France, as well as the European Union.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had invited PM Modi to attend the G7 Summit. It will be India's 11th participation in the G7 Summit and PM Modi's fifth consecutive participation at the G7 Summit.
On the sidelines of the Summit, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings and discussions with the leaders of the G7 and Outreach nations as well as the international organisations.
Foreign Secretary Kwatra said that PM Modi is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni and the two leaders are expected to review the entire gamut of bilateral ties.
On June 12, the Indian ambassador to Italy, Vani Rao said that PM Modi will play an important role in one of the global platforms, to engage with other world leaders present at the G7 Summit on issues of importance to India, as well as to the Global South.
Addressing a special briefing, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said the visit assumes significance as it will be the Prime Minister's first overseas travel after assuming office in his third consecutive term.
On January 1, Italy assumed the G7 Presidency for the seventh time. Notably, the G7 nations are the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the UK.
Italy, which has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the G7 Summit Outreach Sessions, is India's fourth-largest trading partner in the European Union, with bilateral trade currently standing at USD 15 billion. The two countries have close and friendly relations and celebrated 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations last year.
—ANI