PM Modi embarked on his first overseas trip of his third term this week, traveling to Italy just four days after being sworn in and even before his confidence vote, underscoring the significance of the G7 outreach for him. India was one of 12 countries invited to the resort town of Fasano in Italy’s Apulia region, as part of Italian PM Meloni’s initiative to engage the Global South with the G7, which is often perceived as an elitist group. In her efforts to dispel the notion of the West versus the Rest, she also invited Pope Francis, who addressed the G7 for the first time.
During his 24-hour visit, Mr. Modi held bilateral talks with the leaders of France, Germany, Japan, Italy, and the UK. However, he only exchanged greetings with US President Biden and had a brief handshake with Canadian PM Trudeau, reflecting the current tensions in India-Canada relations.
President Zelenskyy of Ukraine also met with PM Modi just before the Swiss Peace Conference on Ukraine began. While India expressed support for finding a peaceful resolution through “dialogue and diplomacy,” PM Modi declined the invitation to attend the conference, opting to send an MEA delegation to Lucerne, where the proceedings are now taking place.