Source : The Indian Express
PM Modi lands in Japan for G7 summit; India invited as Guest country
New Delhi: Food security, nuclear disarmament, climate change – these are the key issues likely to be tabled at the G7 summit to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Friday, May 19 to Sunday, May 21. The Prime Minister landed in Hiroshima, and was received by a Japanese delegation.
Landed in Hiroshima to join the G7 Summit proceedings. Will also be having bilateral meetings with various world leaders. pic.twitter.com/zQtSZUpd45
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 19, 2023
The visit is particularly significant as PM Modi is India’s first PM to travel Japan’s Hiroshima, where the meet is being held, since India conducted nuclear tests in 1974. India is also the only G7 invitee which has not signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
1. Who will be in attendance at the G7 Summit?
The Group of Seven comprises of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The heads of governments of all the member countries, including US President Joe Biden and UK PM Rishi Sunak, will be present at the meeting.
In addition to India, which currently holds the G20 presidency, the G7 has invited EU, Australia, Brazil, Comoros (African Union chair), the Cook Islands (Pacific Islands Forum chair), Indonesia (ASEAN chair), South Korea, and Vietnam to the annual conference. The UN, IMF, World Bank, WHO, and WTO will also attend the summit.
2. How long will the summit continue?
The three-day long summit kicked off on Friday, May 19, and will continue till Sunday, May 21.
3. What will they discuss at the summit?
Nuclear non-proliferation will be among the major points of debate on the agenda at G7, as per a statement issued by the White House on Thursday. Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, who himself hails from Hiroshima, will take the G7 attendees to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum to pay respects to the bomb blast victims.
Russia’s war against Ukraine and its impacts on global food security and energy trade will also be tabled for dialogue.
4. What’s on PM Modi’s agenda?
India’s participation at the summit would be structured around two formal sessions — the first on May 20 and the second on May 21, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra had informed at a media briefing.
The first session will be on food, health, development and gender equality, and the second summit will focus on climate, energy and environment.
As India is the only attendee that has not signed the NPT, Delhi is also expected to underline that it views the NPT as discriminatory, and that the nation’s nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.
PM Modi will also hold bilateral meetings with his Japanese counterpart Fumio and some other participating leaders on the sidelines of the summit, as per a statement by the PMO.
As PM @narendramodi is en route to Japan, take a quick look into what his three nation tour has in store. pic.twitter.com/PPY1lxKlir
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) May 19, 2023
5. What did PM Modi say in his departure statement?
In a public statement issued on Friday morning, PM Modi said that his presence at G7 is “particularly meaningful” this year as India holds the G20 presidency.
“I look forward to exchanging views with the G7 countries and other invited partners on challenges that the world faces and the need to collectively address them,” he stated.
Leaving for Japan, where I will be joining the @G7 Summit in Hiroshima. Looking forward to a healthy exchange of views on diverse global subjects. https://t.co/TYYOLeHAFH
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 19, 2023
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