Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Canada later next week to attend the G7 Summit, following New Delhi’s acceptance of Ottawa’s invitation to the annual multilateral gathering, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday.
As part of his three-nation tour beginning on Sunday, the Prime Minister will also visit Cyprus and Croatia.
The foreign tour, particularly the Canada visit, holds significance as it marks Modi’s first overseas trip since India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, and his first visit to Canada since diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Ottawa deteriorated over the Khalistani issue.
In the second leg of the tour, at the invitation of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Modi will visit Kananaskis, Canada, on June 16–17 to participate in the G7 Summit. During the summit, the Prime Minister will present India’s stance on key global issues, including energy security, technology, and innovation, the ministry added.
Earlier reports had suggested that Prime Minister Modi was unlikely to attend the G7 Summit in Canada, which would have marked his first absence in six years.
The overseas tour will commence with a visit to Cyprus from June 15 to 16, followed by participation in the G7 Summit from June 16 to 17, and will conclude with an official visit to Croatia on June 18.
Describing India and Canada as “vibrant democracies”, the external affairs ministry on Thursday said New Delhi believes the forthcoming meeting between the prime ministers of the two countries on the sidelines of the G7 Summit will offer an important opportunity to exchange views and “explore pathways” to reset bilateral ties.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said this in response to a query during his weekly media briefing