PM Modi leaves for Japan for G7 summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be leaving for Japan to attend the G7 summit there at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

New Delhi:Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Hiroshima in Japan to attend the G7 Summit under the presidency of Japan. The Prime Minister was invited by his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida.

"It will be a pleasure to meet Prime Minister Kishida again after his recent visit to India for the India – Japan Summit. My presence in this G7 Summit is particularly meaningful as India holds the G20 Presidency this year," PM Modi said in a statement ahead of embarking on his three-nation visit. "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 added. PM Modi will also be holding bilateral meetings with some of the leaders attending the G7 Summit.

From Japan, PM Modi will be headed to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. This will be his first visit to the Pacific island nation, and also the first-ever visit by any Indian Prime Minister to the country. PM Modi is slated to host the 3rd Summit of the Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation (PIC) jointly with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape on May 22.

"I am grateful that all 14 Pacific Island Countries have accepted the invitation to attend this important Summit. FIPIC had been launched during my visit to Fiji in 2014, and I look forward to engaging with the PIC Leaders on issues that bring us together, such as climate change and sustainable development, capacity building and training, health and well-being, infrastructure and economic development," PM Modi said.

Prime Minister Modi will also hold bilateral interactions with Papua New Guinea Governor General Sir Bob Dadae, Prime Minister Marape and some other leaders of the PIC participating in the Summit.

Following his trip to Papua New Guinea, PM Modi will be travelling to Sydney in Australia at the invitation of Prime Minister Albanese. He will be holding a bilateral meeting with his Australian counterpart and also follow-up on the first India-Australia Annual Summit held in New Delhi in March. Prime Minister Modi will be interacting with Australian CEOs and business leaders, and meet the Indian community in Sydney at a special event as well.