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Trump to meet PM Modi during G7 summit in France next week, White House says
PM Modi has departed for a week-long visit to France and Slovakia, during which he will attend the G7 summit.
US President Donald Trump is set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during G7 Summit in France next week, a White House official said on Saturday. The Indian side is yet to confirm the meeting of the two leaders.
PM Modi has departed for a week-long visit to France and Slovakia, during which he will attend the summit. The G7 Summit will be held in Evian, France, on June 16 and 17.
The senior US administration officials said that Trump will also meet with Middle Eastern leaders and attend a working session with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the global summit.
Trump is expected to discuss demining the Strait of Hormuz during the summit even as the US and Iran are "closer than ever" to sign a peace deal.
PM Modi on G7 Summit, France visit
In his departure statement, PM Modi said India's participation in the G7 Summit reflects the confidence reposed in the country by its partners and its growing global profile.
"This is the eighth consecutive G7 Summit to which India has been invited. At the G7, India will not only speak for itself, but it will also give voice to the aspirations of the Global South," PM Modi said.
On his trip to France, the prime minister said the European nation occupies a special place in India's strategic vision while his visit to Slovakia marks a historic milestone and builds on the growing momentum in bilateral ties.
"France occupies a special place in India's strategic vision. Earlier this year, President Macron visited India, and we elevated our relationship to a Special Global Strategic Partnership," he said.
Also Read | Why India can play a bigger role as the G7 evolves
Trump-Macron meet
Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron will meet for a dinner at the Palace of Versailles near Paris following next week's G7 summit, their governments announced on Saturday.
Trump, who is seeking to finalise an agreement to end the Iran war in the coming days, is expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings with foreign leaders on the sidelines of the summit in the French lakeside town of Evian-les-Bains, senior US administration officials said.
According to one official, Trump is expected to discuss plans with US allies to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz as optimism grows over a possible deal. Britain and France have both expressed interest in assisting with demining operations once the conflict is paused.
The US president is also scheduled to meet the leaders of Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates during the summit, which opens on Monday, to discuss efforts aimed at winding down the Iran war.
Macron's office said the French president will host Trump for dinner on Wednesday to commemorate the 250th anniversary of US independence, describing the Palace of Versailles as "a historic symbol of Franco-American friendship."
