‘Melodi’ selfie, hugs and bilateral talks: Highlights from PM Modi’s G7 trip to Italy

PM Modi addressed the Outreach session focused on issues relating to artificial intelligence (AI), energy, Africa and the Mediterranean. On the sidelines, he  held discussions with his UK counterpart Rishi Sunak, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He also exchanged pleasantries with United Nations Secretary General Antonia Guterres, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Pope Francis who is the first pontiff to join the G7 participants.

Sharing a highlights video on X of his day at the Summit held in a luxury resort of Borgo Egnazia in Italy’s Apulia region, he said: “An important G7 Summit, where I presented India’s perspective at the world stage.” The video is a compilation his visit right from his bilateral meetings and interactions with leaders including Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau to lighter moments of a selfie with Italy’s PM Girogia Meloni and the many photo ops with leaders of the seven member States.

Here’s a round-up of PM Modi at the G7 Summit:

📌 A highlight from Modi’s first official foreign after assuming charge at the prime minister for a third consecutive term was his statement showcasin the scale of Indian elections as “the biggest festival of democracy in the world”, and framing his “historic victory” as a “victory of democracy” and “victory of the entire democratic world”. This stood out in the context of the gathering of the G7 countries which pride themselves as democracies.

📌 In his statement at the G7 Outreach Session on Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Africa and Mediterranean, PM Modi reiterated the pitch of India as the voice of the Global South. “India considers it its responsibility to place the priorities and concerns of the countries of the Global South on the world stage,” he said in the session chaired by host Italian PM Meloni.

US President Joe Biden, British PM Rishi Sunak, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida were in attendance — along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel.

PM Modi with the G7 Leaders. (X/@narendramodi)

📌 He also pitched India’s ambition to be part of the developed world with a “commitment” to leave no section of the society behind. “It is our resolve to build a developed India by 2047,” he added.

📌 About AI: Modi took the opportunity to highlight the G20 Summit hosted by India last year and stressed on importance of international governance in field of AI. “In the time to come, we will continue to work together with all countries to make AI transparent, fair, secure, accessible and responsible,” he said. He spoke about India’s National Strategy on Artificial Intelligence and AI Mission “derived from the mantra ‘AI for All’”. French President Macron, in his address at the Outreach Session, praised the Modi’s initiative on AI and DPI as G20 Chair, as per sources.

G7 Summit | India takes responsibility to put concerns of Global South on world stage, says PM Modi

📌 For the first time since the G20 Summit last year, Modi met Canadian PM Trudeau in Italy. This was also the first interaction following allegations made by Trudeau on the Indian government’s involvement in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in in British Columbia province. Modi, who was sharing pictures and thoughts on X about interactions with every leader he met, kept it to a cryptic one line with Trudeau. “Met Canadian PM @JustinTrudeau at the G7 Summit,” he said with a photograph of the two leaders shaking hands.

The lighter moments of the day

📌 ‘Hello from the ‘Melodi’ team’: PM Modi and his Italian counterpart Meloni who had a bilateral discussion in a pull-aside meeting of the summit took a moment to click a selfie video before the latter wrapped up his visit. “Hello from the #Melodi team,” Meloni said, engaging with the trending hashtag created by people on the Internet who seem to have taken a special liking for the camaraderie shared by the two prime ministers. This was also a callback to December last year, when the two leaders had first clicked a selfie on the the sidelines of the COP28 in Dubai. While sharing the picture on X, Meloni had said: “Good friends at COP28, #Melodi.” Responding to the post on Saturday, PM wrote: “Long live India-Italy friendship!”

Hi friends, from #Melodi pic.twitter.com/OslCnWlB86

— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) June 15, 2024

📌 Modi met Pope Francis with a warm embrace and also extended an invitation to India. “I admire his commitment to serve people and make our planet better. Also invited him to visit India,” he said after a light-hearted exchange with the 87-year-old head of the worldwide Catholic Church, who was taken around the table in a wheelchair to greet each of the world leaders.

📌Urging G7 leaders to take part in India’s Mission LiFE initiative launched on account of Environment Day, PM Modi also elaborated on the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign. “Everyone loves their mother. With this feeling, we want to make tree plantation a mass movement with personal touch and global responsibility. I urge all of you to join it. My team will share its details with everyone,” he said.

📌PM Modi thanked the people and government of Italy for their “warm hospitality” as he left and said: “Had a very productive day at the G7 Summit in Apulia. Interacted with world leaders and discussed various subjects. Together, we aim to create impactful solutions that benefit the global community and create a better world for future generations.”