New Delhi: In an unusual move in the middle of a general election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to have accepted an invitation to attend the G7 summit in Italy in June.In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Modi posted that he “thanked” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni “for the invite to the G7 summit in June” in a phone conversation. “Discussed taking forward #G20India outcomes at the G7,” he wrote.It would likely be the first foreign trip of the next prime minister after the polls.In a press release, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the invitation from Meloni was for the G7 summit outreach sessions to be held in June 2024 in Puglia, Italy. The PMO too released a statement, saying that Modi “thanked Prime Minister Meloni for the invite to the G7 Summit Outreach Sessions to be held in June 2024 in Puglia, Italy. The leaders discussed taking forward the important outcomes from India’s G20 Presidency, especially that support the Global South, at the G7 Summit under Italy’s Presidency.”India is in the middle of a six-week long general election. The G7 summit will be held from June 13 to 15, ten days after the results of election will be declared on June 4.Spoke with PM @GiorgiaMeloni and extended greetings as Italy celebrates its Liberation day today. Thanked her for the invite to the G7 Summit in June. Discussed taking forward #G20India outcomes at the G7. Reaffirmed commitment to deepening our Strategic Partnership.— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 25, 2024A few hours before Modi posted on X, the MEA spokesperson had confirmed that India had received an invitation to the G7 summit. “…but at this point in time, it is a matter which is under consideration,” he added.India had been first invited to a summit of G8, when Russia was still a member, in June 2003. Since then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had attended all the G8 summits.After G8 metamorphised into G7 following the expulsion of Russia in 2014, India continued to be invited to participate in the summit’s outreach sessions alongside other developing nations.
