IN THE first visit to Hiroshima by an Indian Prime Minister since India conducted nuclear tests in 1974, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached the Japanese city on Friday for the G7 leaders’ summit.
Besides bilateral meetings with various leaders on the sidelines of the summit, diplomats are working towards scheduling Modi’s meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is also expected in Hiroshima, and a Quad leaders’ meeting with US President Joe Biden, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Modi is also scheduled to meet British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Before leaving for Japan, Modi said: “My presence in this G7 summit is particularly meaningful as India holds the G20 presidency this year. I look forward to exchanging views with the G7 countries and other invited partners on challenges that the world faces and the need to collectively address them. I would also be holding bilateral meetings with some of the leaders attending the summit.” In an interview to Tokyo-based newspaper Nikkei Asia, Modi said he would “amplify the voices and concerns of the Global South” countries at the G7 summit, and “foster synergy” with the broader G20 he is hosting later this year.
He said he was looking forward to discussing global changes and challenges in areas such as energy, digital technology and supply chains. “I will emphasise India’s role as a reliable partner in addressing these challenges,” he said.
Modi said that India and Japan’s shared values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law have brought them closer. “We now see a growing convergence in our political, strategic, security and economic interests,” he said in the interview.
On the Russia-Ukraine war, he said: “India stands on the side of peace, and will remain firmly there. We are committed to supporting those who face challenges in meeting their basic needs, especially in the face of rising costs of food, fuel and fertilisers. We maintain communication with both Russia and Ukraine… Cooperation and collaboration should define our times, not conflict.”
Asked if India could play the role of mediator, he said the country’s position on the Ukraine conflict “is clear and unwavering”.
On India’s participation in different groupings like the Quad and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Modi said New Delhi has never wedded itself to security alliances. “Instead, we engage with a wide range of friends and like-minded partners around the world based on our national interests,” he said.
The Quad countries’ collective focus is on “fostering a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region,” he said. On the other hand, the SCO plays a significant role in India’s engagement with the “important” Central Asian region. “Participating in these two groups is not contradictory or mutually exclusive for India,” he said.
“As a member of the Global South, our interest in any plurilateral setting is to serve as a bridge between diverse voices and contribute to a constructive and positive agenda,” Modi said.