BARI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held talks several global leaders on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy's Apulia region. He met with French President Emmanuel Macron Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
It is learnt that Zelenskyy briefed Modi on various aspects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict during their meeting.
Modi had met Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the previous G7 summit in Hiroshima in May last year as well.
India has been maintaining that the conflict in Ukraine must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
Later in the Day, PM Modi met with Uk's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to bolstering the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UK, particularly during the NDA Government's third term.
Key areas of discussion included enhancing cooperation in sectors such as semiconductors, technology, and trade, aiming to deepen economic ties between the two nations. Additionally, both leaders explored opportunities to further solidify collaboration in the defence sector, underscoring mutual strategic interests.
Sunak and Modi last met in person at the G20 Summit in New Delhi last September, when they had agreed to accelerate the FTA talks with the hope of signing off before India's general election.
However, the trade talks are now expected to resume only after a new UK government is elected on July 4.
The India-UK FTA negotiations, which opened in January 2022, are aimed at significantly enhancing bilateral trade currently worth around 38.1 billion pounds a year as per official statistics from earlier this year.
Modi on Friday also met French President Emmanuel Macron and discussed ways to further strengthen the strategic partnership including in areas of defence, nuclear and space, and exchanged views on key global and regional issues.
"Taking Strategic Partnership to new levels! PM @narendramodi met President @EmmanuelMacron of France on the sidelines of the 50th G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.
"The two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen the partnership including in areas of defence, nuclear, space, education, climate action, digital public infrastructure, critical technologies, connectivity and culture.
They also exchanged views on key global and regional issues," he wrote.
It is Prime Minister Modi's first foreign trip after assuming office for a third time this month.
The two leaders last met in January when the French President visited India to attend the 75th Republic Day of India.
During their last meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed their shared vision for bilateral cooperation and international partnership, outlined in Horizon 2047 and other documents from the July 2023 Summit.
Horizon 2047 Roadmap sets an ambitious and broad-ranging course for the bilateral relationship for 2047, the centenary year of India's independence.
Modi is attending the 50th G7 Summit on the invitation of Italian President Georgia Meloni and will address an Outreach session on Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Africa and the Mediterranean alongside leaders of other invited countries and Pope Francis.