Modi Rome visit: PM meets Italian counterpart; holds extensive talks on diversifying bilateral ties
From Rome, Modi will travel to Glasgow, the UK, at the invitation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
During his first day of Italy visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held the first in-person meeting with his Italian counterpart Mario Draghi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit during which the two leaders had extensive talks on diversifying the bilateral ties.
Prime Minister Modi, who arrived here earlier in the day at the invitation of his Italian counterpart, was received by Draghi upon his arrival at Palazzo Chigi for the meeting.
"Prime Ministers @narendramodi and Mario Draghi meet in Rome. The two leaders held extensive talks on diversifying India-Italy ties,” the Prime Minister’s Office tweeted. Modi was also accorded a guard of honour.
"Synergising the India-Italy Partnership! PM @narendramodi was received by the Italian PM Mario Draghi, as he arrived at Palazzo Chigi for their first in-person meeting. Both leaders inspected the guard of honour before proceeding for delegation-level talks,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.
"PM @narendramodi & PM Mario Draghi reviewed the 2020-2025 Action Plan of India-Italy bilateral partnership, and reiterated the commitment to further expanding trade and investment linkages," he said.
They also "resolved to cooperate for accelerating clean energy transition to fight climate change," Bagchi added.
Tributes to Mahatma Gandhi
PM Modi paid floral tributes at the bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Rome on Friday and said his ideals reverberate globally. "In Rome, I had the opportunity to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi, whose ideals give courage and inspiration to millions globally," Modi said in a tweet. The Prime Minister, who is in the Italian capital to attend the G20 Summit, was cheered by an enthusiastic group of Indians at the venue.
"The ideals of the great Bapu reverberate globally,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) tweeted. PMO sources said Prime Minister Modi has made it a point to pay rich tributes to the Father of the Nation during his every overseas trip since he took office in 2014.
He offered floral tributes to him in Washington DC in September 2014 and unveiled a statue of Gandhi at Brisbane in Australia in November same year. In his speech, official sources noted, Modi had said, "On October 2, 1869, it was not just a person who was born in Porbandar.
Extensive discussions with top EU leaders on trade, COVID-19, global issues
PM Modi on Friday held wide-ranging talks with the top leaders of the European Union here during which the two sides discussed deepening the India-EU friendship, particularly in areas such as political and security relations, trade, culture and the environment.
Prime Minister Modi, who arrived here earlier in the day to participate in the G20 Summit, began his official engagements in Rome with a “productive interaction” with President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
"Official engagements in Rome begin with a productive interaction with @eucopresident Charles Michel and @vonderleyen, President of the @EU_Commission. The leaders discussed ways to enhance economic as well as people-to-people linkages aimed at creating a better planet,” the Prime Minister Office tweeted.
Later, Modi described as “wonderful” his meeting with the EU leaders on the sidelines of the 16th G20 Summit here.
Italy is among India's top five trading partners in the EU. India ranks 19th as the country of origin of Italian imports, accounting for 1.2 per cent of Italian imports. Italy ranked 18th in FDI inflows in India from April 2000 to December 2020 with an FDI inflow of USD 3.02 billion during this period.
In his departure statement on Thursday, Modi said he will be visiting Rome and the Vatican City from October 29-31. "During my visit to Italy, I will also visit the Vatican City, to call on His Holiness Pope Francis and meet Secretary of State, His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin," Modi said.
From Rome, Modi will travel to Glasgow, the UK, at the invitation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.