PM Modi to meet with Justin Trudeau, Joe Biden during G7 Summit? Here’s all you need to know

Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Italy on Thursday evening to attend the upcoming G7 Summit. The newly re-elected politician is slated to hold bilateral talks with several world leaders — including a possible meeting with US President Joe Biden — on the margins of the summit. An interaction with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau however remained off the cards. 

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan indicated on Wednesday that the two leaders would ‘encounter’ each other during the event. The White House also revealed that Biden had recently dialed Modi to congratulate him on the Lok Sabha election outcome. 

“President Biden actually spoke with President Modi by phone while we were in Paris to congratulate him on the election outcome and on being named Prime Minister for a third term. He (Biden) expects to see Prime Minister Modi here. It's up to the Indians to formally confirm his attendance, but our -- our expectation is that the two of them will have the opportunity to encounter one another. What the nature of that encounter is still fluid because so much of the schedule is fluid,” Sullivan said.

Modi is also slated to hold a bilateral meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during the trip. 

Meanwhile the Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis would hold one on one meetings with Biden, Modi, Macron and a few other leaders on the sidelines of the Summit.

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“During the discussions at the Outreach session, the focus would be on artificial intelligence, energy, Africa, and the Mediterranean. It will be an opportunity to bring greater synergy between the outcomes of the G20 Summit held under India’s Presidency and the forthcoming G7 Summit, and deliberate on issues which are crucial for the Global South. I am also looking forward to meeting other leaders participating in the Summit,” read an excerpt from the Prime Minister's departure statement.

(With inputs from agencies)