Today in Politics: Modi to meet Meloni, Macron, Sunak on G7 sidelines; Maharashtra BJP huddle on poll debacle

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who left for Italy Thursday to attend G7 Summit, is set to participate in the outreach session at the Summit on Friday.

PM Modi is also expected to hold separate bilateral meetings with several world leaders on the sidelines of the Summit, who include Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

In his departure statement, PM Modi said, “I am glad that my first visit in the third consecutive term is to Italy for the G-7 Summit.”

He also said, “During the discussions at the Outreach session, the focus would be on artificial intelligence, energy, Africa, and the Mediterranean. It will be an opportunity to bring greater synergy between the outcomes of the G20 Summit held under India’s Presidency and the forthcoming G7 Summit, and deliberate on issues which are crucial for the Global South.”

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said US President Joe Biden and PM Modi are expected to meet each other during the Summit. The agenda of the Summit is likely to be dominated by the Ukraine and Gaza wars.

Days aftersuffering a blow in Maharashtra in the recent Lok Sabha elections, the state BJP is holding a meeting of its functionaries and district unit presidents in Mumbai on Friday.

The day-long meeting will review the BJP’s performance in the polls and identify the factors behind its reverses. It would also take stock of the state of the party’s alliances with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar-led NCP. They are together part of the Mahayuti coalition that rules the state.

Maharashtra is slated for the Assembly elections in October this year. The BJP’s Friday huddle is also