India, Europe eye deeper ties as PM Modi plans May-June visits

New Delhi: India and Europe are set to consolidate partnerships and collaborations across key areas, keeping up the momentum after concluding the India-EU free trade agreement in January, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi planning two visits to the continent this summer.

The PM is expected to visit Oslo for the India-Nordic Summit followed by a bilateral visit to Italy in mid-May, while France has announced that Modi will attend the G-7 Summit in mid-June where India has been invited.

The developments come at a time when global supply chains are under stress amid the ongoing West Asia war.


The French foreign ministry in a release on Thursday said Modi has confirmed his participation in the upcoming G-7 Summit scheduled to be held from June 15 to 17 as an invitee. Modi had attended the 2019 G-7 Summit, also hosted by France.

The announcement came after external affairs minister S Jaishankar met his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot. "The ministers...highlighted India's contribution to the G7's work, particularly on the question of major macroeconomic imbalances, and on international partnerships and solidarity," the release said.

Speaking at the G-7 foreign ministers meet in France on Thursday, Jaishankar raised Global South's concerns about energy challenges, fertiliser supplies and food security.

The India-Nordic Summit was originally scheduled for last year but had to be postponed in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.