The Indian government yesterday released a behind-the-scenes highlights reel of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G7 meet. It captured several key moments from the summit, especially his interaction with other world leaders and the indian community in Japan.
PM Modi was in Japan for the annual summit of the G7 grouping and the third in-person Quad leaders' meeting during the first leg of his tri-nation trip.
The video shows him interacting with massive crowds of Indians in Hiroshima; meeting with world leaders such as US President Joe Biden, Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, UK PM Rishi Sunak and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of the G7 Summit and attending the Quad meeting where they delivered a thinly veiled swipe aimed at China.
"We strongly oppose destabilising or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion," the statement said, using diplomatic language that appeared to refer to China's economic tactics to gain leverage over poorer countries and also its military expansion in the Pacific.
Rishi Sunak and PM Modi discussed the India-UK free trade agreement, innovation, and science along with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
Biden and Modi shared a lighthearted moment when the former referred to the fact that he was inundated by requests for invitations to attend a state dinner in Washington DC to be hosted for Modi, during the latter’s upcoming United States trip in June.
Other leaders that PM Modi interacted with on the sidelines of the G7 Summit included Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In the first in-person meeting with President Zelensky since the Russian offensive, PM Modi assured him that India "and I personally, would definitely do whatever is in our capacity to resolve this situation".
Today, PM Modi arrived in Papua New Guinea where he will host the third summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) on Monday with Prime Minister James Marape. As a gesture of respect, PM Marape touched PM Modi's feet while welcoming him to the Pacific Island nation.
In the third and final leg of his trip, PM Modi will visit Australia from May 22 to 24 where he will hold a bilateral meeting to take stock of ties between the nations. He will also interact with Australian CEOs, business leaders and members of the Indian community.
