Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to return to France to attend the 2026 G7 summit on June 16. The Prime Minister, who is currently on a visit to Slovakia, is scheduled to raise “the aspirations of the Global South”, as well as hold a meeting with US President Donald Trump amid a standoff between New Delhi and Washington.
The G7 summit is scheduled to be held on June 16-17 in Evian, France. This will be the eighth G7 summit that India has been invited to attend.
What is Prime Minister Modi’s agenda?
Voice of the Global South
Before leaving for Europe, the Indian Prime Minister said that he would use the platform at the G7 summit to raise “the aspirations of the global South.”
“India’s presence in the G7 reflects the trust our partners place in us and our growing global standing. This is the eighth consecutive G7 summit to which India has been invited. At the G7, India will not only speak for itself, but will also give voice to the aspirations of the Global South,” Modi wrote in an official statement.
Over the past few years, India has emerged as a voice for the Global South by bridging development gaps and concerns of countries at platforms such as the G20, the United Nations and the Voice of the Global South Summit.
Amid this push also comes the demand for reforms at the United Nations to include countries of the Global South in the UN Security Council by expanding its permanent seats.
Moreover, BRICS, of which India is a founding member, is also an attempt to advance multilateralism by bringing countries of the Global South and others to the fore, and moving away from groups led by Western countries.
Modi and Trump meet amid confrontation
The White House said on Saturday that Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the summit.
While confirmation is awaited from the Indian side, this meeting between Modi and Trump comes amid a crisis between India and the United States.
The State Department summoned US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks for the second time, amid attacks on ships in the Gulf of Oman, which led to the deaths of a number of Indian sailors.
“A strong representation has been made to him regarding the ongoing attacks by the US Navy on merchant ships carrying Indian sailors in the Gulf of Oman, which have already resulted in the tragic and avoidable loss of the lives of three Indians,” the Aviation Ministry said in a statement issued on June 12. The first summonses were issued on June 9.
Amid the recent attacks, relations between the United States and India remain turbulent, especially since Operation Sindoor, where India and Pakistan found themselves on the brink of a fifth war.
Moreover, the tariff dispute between New Delhi and Washington and India’s purchase of Russian oil have increased tensions.
Despite the tensions, the United States and India are also in the midst of finalizing a bilateral trade agreement, which, according to US Ambassador to India Sergio Gore, is “99 percent done.”
About the G7 2026
The 2026 G7 summit is scheduled to be held in the French city of Evian due to the French presidency of the group this year. The main agenda of the summit will focus on geopolitical challenges and the ongoing war in Ukraine as well as the conflict in West Asia.
According to the EU Council, the Evian Summit will also focus on the future of artificial intelligence, regulation and balanced economic growth.
The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.
Besides India, representatives from China, Brazil, Kenya and South Korea will attend the G7 summit.
