PM Modi, President Biden expected to meet during G7 Summit: NSA Sullivan

US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to meet during the G7 Summit in Italy, the White House said on Wednesday (local time).

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan emphasized that the two leaders spoke when Biden congratulated PM Modi for taking oath as Prime Minister for the third term.

Addressing a press conference, Sullivan said, “President Biden actually spoke with President Modi by phone while we were in Paris to congratulate him on the election outcome and on being named Prime Minister for a third term.”

“He (Biden) expects to see Prime Minister Modi here. It’s up to the Indians to formally confirm his attendance, but our — our expectation is that the two of them will have the opportunity to encounter one another. What the nature of that encounter is still fluid because so much of the schedule is fluid,” he added.

Being asked about whether there will be a discussion on the allegations of a foiled assassination attempt of Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the US NSA said it will be a “continuing topic of dialogue” between New Delhi and Washington, including at “very senior levels.”

“So, you know, we’ve made our views known on this issue, and it will be a continuing topic of dialogue between the US and India, including at very senior levels,” Sullivan stated.

The US Justice Department had claimed that an Indian government employee had recruited an Indian national to hire a hitman to allegedly assassinate Panun, an attempt which was foiled by US authorities.

India has set up a high-level committee to probe the matter.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi is set to visit Italy to participate in the annual summit of G7 advanced economies, marking his first international trip since beginning his third consecutive term in office.

The G7 summit will take place at the Borgo Egnazia resort in Italy’s Apulia region from June 13 to 15.

India’s participation at this G7 Summit acquires particular salience in the context of India’s recently held, not so recent, presidency of the G20, where India took a leading role in building global consensus on several contentious issues. India has so far organized two sessions of the Voice of the Global South Summit, which have been aimed at bringing the interests, priorities, and concerns of the Global South on the global stage.

Confirming PM Modi’s participation in the summit in Italy, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Wednesday, said, “It will also afford him an opportunity to engage with other world leaders present at the G7 Summit on issues of importance to India as also to the Global South.”

This will be India’s 11th participation in the G7 Summit and Prime Minister Modi’s fifth consecutive participation at the G7 Summit.

On the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy, PM Modi is also expected to hold bilateral meetings and discussions with the leaders of the G7, as well as the Outreach Countries and the international organizations.

The two leaders last met during the COP28 Summit in Abu Dhabi last year.