Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday departed for Italy to attend the annual summit of G-7 advanced economies. Before departing for Italy, the PM said he was glad that his first visit in the third consecutive term was to Italy for the G-7 summit.

"At the invitation of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, I am travelling to (the) Apulia region in Italy to participate in the G7 Outreach Summit on 14 June 2024. I am glad that my first visit in the third consecutive term is to Italy for the G-7 summit...," a statement released from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) read.

At the G7 summit, India's focus would be on artificial intelligence, energy, Africa, and the Mediterranean region, the statement said.

PM Modi's participation in the G7 summit would also provide an opportunity to follow up on the outcomes of the G20 summit held under India's presidency last year, the statement further added.

PM Modi will have a bilateral meeting with Italian Prime Minister Meloni.

"Prime Minister Meloni's two visits to India last year were instrumental in infusing momentum and depth in our bilateral agenda," he said.

"We remain committed to consolidating the India-Italy strategic partnership, and bolstering cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and the Mediterranean regions," PM Modi said.

The G-7 summit, to be held in the luxury resort of Borgo Egnazia in Italy's Apulia region from June 13 to 15, is likely to be dominated by the raging war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza.

Apart from PM Modi, US President Joe Biden, his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are among the top leaders attending the summit.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also scheduled for a session on the Russian invasion of his country.

Source: India Today