India's PM Modi departs for Italy to attend G7 summit

NEW DELHI: India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has departed for Italy today to attend a summit of the Group of Seven (G7). This marks his first overseas trip since assuming office for an unprecedented third term.

Italy is hosting the G7 summit of leading industrialised nations in the aftermath of the European Parliament election, which witnessed a surge in support for the far-right in countries such as G7 members France and Germany.

India has received an invitation as an Outreach Country to the Summit.

Italian Premier, Giorgia Meloni, also heads a far-right party but maintains a centrist stance, particularly on foreign policy. This has made her a reassuring transatlantic partner amidst Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.

The G7 summit, running through Saturday, is focusing on global conflicts, the proliferation of artificial intelligence, and issues related to Africa. This is with a particular view to Italy’s longstanding concern about unregulated migration to Europe and human traffickers. Recurring issues such as climate change and China will also be on the agenda.

The G7 is an informal forum that holds an annual summit to discuss economic policy and security issues. The members include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

By RSS/ANI/AP