PM Modi Attends G7 Summit: Focus on AI-Energy Nexus and Bilateral Talks

Calgary, Jun 16 (PTI) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to arrive in Calgary on Monday for the G7 summit in Kananaskis, marking his first visit to Canada in a decade. This visit is part of his four-day, three-nation tour to Cyprus, Canada, and Croatia, following an invitation from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The summit, taking place on June 16-17, will mark PM Modi’s sixth consecutive participation in the G7 Summit.

The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi highlighted that the summit will provide an opportunity for the Prime Minister to engage with leaders from G7 countries, other invited nations, and heads of international organizations on critical global issues such as energy security, technology, and innovation, with a focus on the AI-energy nexus and quantum technologies.

On the sidelines of the summit, PM Modi will also conduct several bilateral meetings, which come shortly after India's Operation Sindoor, a response to the Pahalgam attacks that targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

During Modi's last visit in 2015, India and Canada elevated their bilateral ties to a strategic partnership. In 2024, bilateral trade in goods reached USD 8.6 billion, with India exporting USD 4.2 billion and importing USD 4.4 billion. Trade in services amounted to USD 14.3 billion, with India exporting USD 2.5 billion and importing USD 11.8 billion.

The G7 summit takes place amid heightened geopolitical tensions, including increased hostilities in the Middle East following strikes between Iran and Israel, and a trade conflict prompted by former US President Donald Trump's tariff policies. Trump, who arrived in Kananaskis on Sunday, will also have bilateral meetings with Canadian Prime Minister Carney and leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.

Under Canada’s presidency, which began January 1, 2025, the G7 marks its 50th anniversary. The Group of Seven is an informal assembly of some of the world’s leading economies: France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada, and the European Union.

India has participated in eleven G7 Summit Outreach sessions, including in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. The Outreach Segment of this year’s 51st G7 Summit will feature a single session, focusing on three main areas: ‘Protecting our communities and the world,’ which includes strengthening peace and security and combating foreign interference; ‘Building energy security and accelerating the digital transition,’ emphasizing critical mineral supply chains, AI, and quantum technology; and ‘Securing the partnerships of the future,’ aimed at fostering private investment to strengthen infrastructure and markets.

With its position as the world’s fifth-largest economy, India’s involvement in the G7 Outreach session reflects its significant role in global discussions.