PRIME Minister Narendra Modi has said he will discuss important global issues and emphasise the priorities of the Global South as he meets world leaders at the G7 Summit in Canada’s Kananaskis. Modi arrived here on Monday evening (local time), his first visit to Canadainadecade,withdiscussions with world leaders to be focussed on crucial globalissues,including energy security, technology and innovation. “Landed inCalgary, Canada, to take part in the G7 Summit. Will be meeting various leaders at the Summit and sharingmy thoughtson important global issues.Will also be emphasising the priorities of the Global South,” Modi said in a post on X Monday evening. PM Modi is on a four-day, threenation tour to Cyprus, Canada and Croatia. He arrived Monday evening (local time) in Canada from Cyprus on the second leg of his visit, at the invitation of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

 

TheKananaskis gathering onJune 16-17is thePrimeMinister’s6thconsecutive participation in the G7 Summit. Prime Minister will also hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Summit, coming over a month after India’s Operation Sindoor that targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistanoccupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attacks. Carney’s invitation to Modi to attend the G7 Summit signalled the new Government’s intent to repair the ties with New Delhi that plummeted to an all-time low over the killing of pro-Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In October last year, India recalled its High Commissioner and five other diplomats after Ottawa attempted to link them to the Nijjar case. India also expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats. India had accused Justin Trudeau’s Government of allowing pro-Khalistani elements to operate from Canadiansoil.Carney,aneconomist and political newcomer, took charge as Canada’s new Prime Minister in March following the exitofTrudeau from the top office.

 

G7 LEADERS CALL FOR DE-ESCALATIONBUT INSIST IRANMUSTNOTGETNUKES: LEADERSof theGroupofSeven countries meeting in Canada signed a joint statement calling for de-escalation of fighting between Israel and Iran whilereaffirming thatIrancannot be allowed to have a nuclear bomb. The statement reads: “We, the leaders of the G7, reiterate our commitment to peace and stability in the MiddleEast.Inthiscontext,we affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself. We reiterate our support for the security of Israel. “We also affirm the importance of the protection of civilians. Iran is the principal source ofregional instability and terror. We have been consistentlyclear thatIrancan never have a nuclear weapon. “We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza. Wewillremain vigilant to the implications for international energymarketsandstandready to coordinate, including with like-minded partners, to safeguard market stability.

 

NOW WE ARE SIX: G7 LEADERS TRY TO SALVAGE THEIR SUMMIT AFTER TRUMP’S EARLY EXIT: SIX of the Group of Seven leaders are trying on the final day of their Tuesday to show the wealthy nations’ club still has the clout to shape world events despite theearlydepartureofPresident Donald Trump. PrimeMinisterMarkCarney and his counterparts from the UK,France,Germany,Italy and Japan will be joined by UkrainianPresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO chief Mark Rutte to discuss Russia’s relentless war on its neighbour.World leaders had gathered in Canada with the specific goal of helping to defuse a series of pressure points, only to be disrupted by a showdown over Iran’s nuclear programme that could escalate in dangerous and uncontrollable ways