Prime Minister Narendra Modi has landed in Calgary, Canada to participate in the 51st G7 Summit amid Israel-Iran tensions. This comes after the PM completed his visit to Cyprus, where he held extensive discussions with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.
PM Modi is currently on a four-day, three-nation tour covering Cyprus, Canada and Croatia. His visit to Cyprus was marked by what the Ministry of External Affairs described on X as a "memorable" engagement. The Prime Minister extended his gratitude to Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides for their "exceptional warmth and hospitality".
From Cyprus, the Prime Minister proceeded to Canada for the G7 Outreach Summit. The G7 summit, being held in Kananaskis, Alberta, comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions, particularly the ongoing conflicts between Israel and Iran and Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will also be among the guest leaders at the event.
This marks PM Modi's first multilateral appearance following the conclusion of Operation Sindoor, a counterterrorism operation conducted in Pakistan in May. During his stay in Canada, he is expected to hold bilateral meetings with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and several other leaders from the G7 nations and guest countries.
Apart from Carney, the Prime Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Germany, Italy and Ukraine on the sidelines of the summit.
PM Modi's arrival in Canada coincided with Trump cutting short his G7 trip to attend a National Security Council meeting back home amid the ongoing Iran-Israel crisis.
Modi backs Cyprus in fight against Turkiye
Modi said resolving issues through dialogue and restoring stability was the cry of humanity. Speaking alongside Cyprus President Christodoulides in Nicosia, Modi reiterated his message that this isn’t the era of war.
Modi’s visit to Cyprus - the first by an Indian PM in 23 years - saw the two sides discussing efforts to scale up cooperation in defence, security and connectivity with focus on IMEEC, with the PM strongly backing sovereignty and territorial integrity of the eastern Mediterranean country that is not recognised by Turkiye, a Pakistan ally.
“We both have expressed concern about the ongoing conflicts in West Asia and Europe. Their negative impact is not limited to that region alone. We both believe that this is not the era of war,” Modi said after his talks with the Cypriot president.
India- EU free trade deal
Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to finalising a free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union by the end of 2025. He also stressed the importance of the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) for regional peace and prosperity, noting its current delays are due to tensions in West Asia.
Speaking at a meeting with CEOs in Cyprus, PM Modi stated, "Last month, there was an agreement between India and the UK on an ambitious FTA. Now, we are committed to complete an FTA between India and the EU by the end of the year. Talks have picked up pace. Its benefits will be available to all of you." During a separate meeting, both PM Modi and Christodoulides endorsed the proposed trade deal.
