Here's a list of key global events that await Modi govt in its third term

With the NDA leaders' oath ceremony now complete, here's a look at the key global events the Modi 3.0 government will focus on to continue advancing its diplomatic agenda

Now that the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has been cemented, numerous global events are on the horizon where India’s participation will be pivotal in shaping geopolitics.

Over the past decade, India has established itself as a prominent voice on the world stage. PM Modi has focused on positioning India as the ‘Voice of the Global South’ with the ‘Vishwa Bandhu’ approach. The G20 Summit last year was held under India’s presidency with the theme ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.

Here are the major upcoming events for which the Modi government needs to prepare:

Brics Foreign Ministers Meeting (June 10-11)

The first assignment for India’s foreign policy will be the Brics foreign ministers’ meeting scheduled to take place on June 10-11 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, attended by foreign ministers from the member states.

 

Brics is an intergovernmental organisation consisting of 10 nations, including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Last year, four new countries — Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—became full members.

G7 Summit 2024 (June 13-15)

India’s next significant engagement will be at the Group of Seven (G7) Summit 2024 in Italy, scheduled for June 13-15. Prime Minister Modi will participate in this event.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni invited Prime Minister Modi to the summit in April.

The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal forum that includes Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The European Union also takes part, represented by the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission.

In April, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni extended an invitation to India for the G7 Summit. Prime Minister Modi expressed his gratitude and confirmed India’s participation in the G7 Summit Outreach Sessions. The summit of the world’s largest economies is set to take place from June 13-15 in Puglia, Italy.
 

Swiss Peace Summit (June 15-16)

The global peace summit in Switzerland, scheduled for June 15-16, aims to address the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Notably, India has yet to confirm its attendance.

This summit is part of Ukraine’s ongoing effort to garner diplomatic backing for its 10-point peace plan, announced in November 2022. The plan calls for the complete withdrawal of Russian troops and accountability for war crimes committed by Russia.

As the highest-level event in Ukraine’s ‘peace formula’ initiative, the summit follows four lower-level conferences held since June 2023. Attendees are expected to develop action plans focusing on three key aspects of Ukraine’s peace plan: Ensuring free navigation and protecting Black Sea port infrastructure to bolster global food security, enhancing energy and nuclear security by stopping attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure, and facilitating the exchange of captives and the return of children abducted to Russia.

The summit will take place at the luxurious Bürgenstock hotel, overlooking Lake Lucerne, following a suggestion from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to former Swiss President Alain Berset that neutral Switzerland should host the event.

In a recent press conference, India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated that an invitation from Switzerland has been received, but a decision on participation is still pending. Meanwhile, US Vice President Kamala Harris will attend, and China has indicated it may not participate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that 106 countries have committed to attending the summit.

US NSA Jake Sullivan’s India visit (likely June 17)

United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will be coming to India for an official visit.

Sullivan is expected to arrive in the week beginning June 17 and will likely stay for a day and a half. This visit could be a case of third time lucky, as two previous visits planned earlier this year were cancelled at the last minute.

Reportedly, Sullivan’s primary meeting will be with Ajit Doval, the National Security Advisor, for an annual review of the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (ICET). 

This initiative covers cooperation in areas such as space, defence, telecommunications, research and development, semiconductors, quantum technologies, and artificial intelligence. Several defence decisions, including the transfer of technology from the US to India for the GE-414 engines, Stryker armoured vehicles for the Army, and MQ-9 drones for all three services, need to be expedited.

Recently, during a telephone conversation, US President Joe Biden congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his third consecutive win in the general elections. The two leaders also discussed Sullivan's upcoming visit.

SCO Summit in Kazakhstan

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit is set to occur later this year, with Kazakhstan presiding.

Earlier this year, India took part in the SCO Foreign Ministers and Defence Ministers meetings. MEA Secretary (ER) Dammu Ravi attended the Foreign Ministers meeting, while Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane attended the Defence Ministers meeting.

The SCO, founded in Shanghai in June 2001, is an intergovernmental organization that mainly addresses regional security issues, including the fight against terrorism, ethnic separatism, and religious extremism.

[With inputs from ANI]