PM Modi attends G-7 Summit in Japan: Key things you need to know about his activities today

The first leg of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-nation trip, which also includes stops in Papua New Guinea and Australia, began on Friday with his departure for Japan to attend the G7 Summit in Hiroshima.
India has been invited to attend the G7 conference, which is scheduled for May 19-21, as a guest nation. Nuclear disarmament, economic resilience and security, regional concerns, climate and energy, food and health, and development are the main focuses of the G7 summit's outreach to the invited guest nations.
Modi is expected to meet with Fumio Kishida, the prime minister of Japan, and other leaders during his tour. In Hiroshima, the Prime Minister also unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi.

Here are some key points for today's summit upon his visit:

Unveiled a bust of Mahatma

PM Modi met his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, on Saturday and later unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Hiroshima during his visit to the city. During Modi's meeting with the Japanese prime minister, the two leaders discussed ways to enhance India-Japan friendship across different sectors, including trade, economy, and culture.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, in a tweet, said, "PM Narendra Modi and PM Fumio Kishida of Japan held warm and productive talks. Discussed ways to synergise efforts of respective G-7 and G-20 Presidencies, and the need to highlight the voice of Global South. Also exchanged views on contemporary regional developments and on deepening cooperation in the Indo-Pacific," he said. "Leaders discussed ways to further strengthen the bilateral Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Education, skill development, tourism, high technology, and digital public infrastructure were covered," the MEA spokesperson added.

Later, Modi unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Hiroshima. "A symbol of friendship and goodwill... Mahatma's bust, a gift from India to the city of Hiroshima, is a befitting tribute to a city that symbolises humanity's yearning for peace," Bagchi tweeted.

Holds discussions with SEA leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, upon his visit, held talks with major Southeast Asian countries on the sidelines of the G7 Summit on Saturday. PM Modi is attending the G7 Summit under the Japanese Presidency at the invitation of PM Fumio Kishida. 

Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Vietnamese counterpart, Pham Minh Chinh, and discussed expanding cooperation in areas like trade and investment, defence, and energy. "Propelling - ties to new levels. Wide-ranging talks between PM @narendramodi and PM Pham Minh Chinh of Vietnam," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) tweeted.

"Leaders discussed expanding cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, defence, building resilient supply chains, energy, science and technology, human resource development, culture & people to people ties," it said.

Modi also held a bilateral meeting with South Korean President, Yoon Suk Yeol, and discussed ways to further strengthen the ties between the two countries as India-South Korea celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations this year. The two leaders discussed a range of issues, including trade and defence ties between the two nations.

Bagchi tweeted, "Advancing - Special Strategic Partnership. PM @narendramodi met @President_KR Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea. Leaders reaffirmed commitment to further strengthen bilateral ties as India-South Korea celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations this year." Modi and Yoon Suk Yeol also agreed to deepen cooperation in trade and investment, high technology, IT hardware manufacturing, defence, semiconductors, and culture. They also held discussions on India's G20 presidency and South Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy.

Besides, Modi met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his wife in Hiroshima, Japan.

When Modi met 'friend' Scholz

Modi met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, during which the two leaders reviewed and positively assessed progress in bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional developments and global challenges.

Modi  tweeted: "Glad to have met my friend, @Bundeskanzler @OlafScholz on the sidelines of the G-7 Summit in Hiroshima." The Prime Minister's account also posted two pictures of the two leaders. "The leaders reviewed and positively assessed the progress in bilateral relations. Exchanged views on regional developments and global challenges," Bagchi tweeted.

During the meeting, Modi welcomed Germany's support for India-EU trade and investment agreements, and also for India's G20 presidency.

Hugs of diplomacy

Modi also shared hugs with US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Hiroshima.

The meeting between the two leaders comes ahead of the third in-person summit of leaders of the Quad Summit later today. The meeting also comes ahead of Modi's official state visit to the US from June 21 to 24, where he will be hosted by Biden at the White House.

Modi also shared a hug with Sunak here. Even Sunak took to Twitter to share a picture of his meeting with Modi. "Meetings with allies and friends on Day 2 G7," he said.

Calls to build an inclusive food system

PM Modi called for building an inclusive food system that focuses on the world's most vulnerable people and pitched for checking "expansionist mentality" occupying fertiliser resources.

In an address at a session, Modi strongly argued for the democratisation of technology, saying it can become a bridge between development and democracy. There is a need to focus on the holistic use of natural resources, and the development model inspired by consumerism has to be changed, Modi said.

The prime minister said efforts should be made to build an inclusive food system that focuses on the world's most vulnerable people, especially "marginal farmers should be our priority".

"Global fertiliser supply chains have to be strengthened. Political obstacles to this have to be removed. And the expansionist mentality that is occupying fertiliser resources has to be stopped. This should be the purpose of our cooperation," he said.

The prime minister, however, did not name any country. Modi also emphasised on preventing food waste, saying it should be "our collective responsibility". "It is essential for sustainable global food security," he said.

Meets promotors of Indian culture in Japan

Modi met some of the leading Japanese personalities who were instrumental in promoting Indian culture in Japan, highlighting how such interactions facilitate the deepening of mutual understanding and create stronger bonds between the two countries.

Modi met Dr. Tomio Mizokami, Professor Emeritus at the Graduate School of Foreign Studies of Osaka University, a renowned author, linguist, and proficient in Hindi and Punjabi languages.

Mizokami was conferred the Padma Shri in 2018 for his contribution to the promotion of Indian literature and culture in Japan. He presented the widely acclaimed book "Jwalamukhi" - an anthology of writings from the 1980s by a cohort of Japanese scholars who laid the foundation of Hindi learning in Japan, according to the press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Modi also met and interacted with Hiroko Takayama, who was born in Hiroshima and is a Western-style painter, whose works are deeply influenced by her deep association with India, spanning over two decades. She presented Modi with one of her prominent works, an oil painting of Lord Buddha, created in 2022.

Modi said such interactions facilitate the deepening of mutual understanding, and create stronger bonds between our countries.

Meets Zelenskyy 

PM Modi met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time in person since the beginning of the Russian-Ukraine conflict in February last year. The Prime Minister's Office shared photographs of the meeting, in which India's national security advisor Ajit Doval was also present.

The Ukrainian president, who arrived in Hiroshima today, is attending the summit on an invitation from Japan, the current chair of the Group of Seven countries.

With input from agencies