PM Modi left for three countries tour

PM Modi will first head to Japan for the G7 summit, where he is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of the world’s most powerful democracies. G7 members include the United States, Japan, France, the UK, Germany, Canada, and Italy. The European Union effectively functions as a full member of the body. India has also been invited for the summit along with major partner countries like Australia, Indonesia and South Korea.

As India presides over the G20 this year, its participation in the G7 was significant, the PM said in his farewell statement. PM Modi said, “I look forward to exchanging views with the G7 countries and other invited partners on the challenges facing the world and the need to address them collectively.”

Modi will be in Japan from May 19 to 21.

Japan is also set to host the Quad Leaders Summit. The meeting, one of the most anticipated events in the annual diplomatic calendar, was originally expected to take place in Australia on May 24.

However, ongoing talks between the Biden administration and opposition Republicans in the United States over raising the debt ceiling caused President Joe Biden to cancel his planned trip to Australia. The four countries are now expected to hold a meeting in Japan, where the four leaders will attend the G7 summit.

Modi will then head to PNG, where he will hold meetings with Pacific island nations.

“This will be my first visit, as well as the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Papua New Guinea. I will jointly attend the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation with H.E. Mr. James Marape, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea on 22 May 2023. (FIPIC III Summit). I am grateful that all 14 Pacific Island Countries (PICs) have accepted the invitation to participate in this important summit. During my visit to Fiji in 2014 was launched, and I look forward to engaging with PIC leaders on issues that bring us together, such as climate change and sustainable development, capacity building and training, health and wellness, infrastructure and economic growth,” Modi said.

According to Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra, he is also expected to meet the Prime Ministers of Fiji and New Zealand.

For the final leg of his visit, he will meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Sydney. This will be the fifth meeting between the two leaders within a year. They first met during the Quad leaders’ summit in May last year, soon after Albanese took over as prime minister. PM Modi is also expected to meet the Governor General of Australia, David Hurley. He announced that Modi would hold talks with Australian CEOs and also meet the Indian community in the country. The Prime Minister’s visit will end on May 24.