India’s poll results victory for democratic world: PM Modi

India’s election results were a “victory for the democratic world”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told G-7 countries and leaders of other nations invited to the Outreach Summit in Italy, praising the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) technology in Indian elections for their “impartiality and transparency”.

Speaking at a session that focussed on Artificial Intelligence, and other issues including African development and the “Mediterranean”, with Pope Francis who addressed the G7 session for the first time, Mr. Modi said that technology must be used to reduce inequalities.

Modi meets Biden, Trudeau

Mr. Modi embraced Pope Francis at the beginning of the event, being held in Italy’s Apulia region, and also met with leaders of U.K., France, Germany, Japan and Italy during a brief 24-hour visit. Mr. Modi posted pictures on social media of a brief exchange with the U.S. President Joseph Biden, saying they had committed to keep working for the “global good”, but there was no formal India-US bilateral meeting. Mr. Modi also posted a photograph of shaking hands with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau but gave no details of their conversation.

Referring to European Parliament elections earlier this week, as well as upcoming elections in France, UK and US, Mr. Modi said that

“The blessings that the people of India have given in the form of this historic victory is the victory of democracy. It is a victory for the entire democratic world,” said Mr. Modi, who flew to Italy just four days after being sworn in, and even before his party, which won the largest number of seats but fell short of a majority, will prove its strength along with allies of the NDA in parliament later this month.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the side-lines of the G7-outreach summit a day ahead of the Swiss Peace Summit on Ukraine, promising to support a peaceful resolution, even though he will not himself will not travel to Switzerland.

“PM conveyed that India continues to encourage peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, and reiterated that India would continue to do everything within its means to support a peaceful solution,” the MEA said, as sources told The Hindu that MEA Secretary (West) Pavan Kapoor would represent India at the conference in Burgenstock over the weekend, although the invitation and Swiss and Ukrainian ministers had travelled to Delhi to request PM Modi’s presence. India’s decision to send an official rather than high-level political representative is seen in line with the government’s position thus-far on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where it has abstained on all resolutions critical of Russia, and kept up ties with both Moscow and Kiev.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during G7 Outreach Session at Savelletri Di Fasano in Italy on June 14, 2024. | Photo Credit: PTI

Earlier, PM Modi met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, discussing strategic ties and the “India-UK Roadmap 2030” for bilateral relations. An MEA statement said that they “expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the Free Trade Agreement negotiations between the two countries,” although it is now unlikely to be taken forward until after UK elections on July 4, where Mr. Sunak’s Conservative party is trailing far behind the Labour party in polls.

“Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi extended his best wishes to the people of the United Kingdom as they prepare for general elections next month,” said the MEA.

French President Emmanuel Macron, whose party is headed into parliamentary polls on June 30 after a shock defeat from the Far-right in European Parliament elections, also met with PM Modi on Friday. According to the official statement, the leaders reviewed ties including “cooperation in defence, nuclear, space, education, climate action, digital public infrastructure, connectivity and cultural initiatives” and expand cooperation in Artificial Intelligence, critical and emerging technologies, energy and sports” with a view to French summits on AI and UN Oceans conference next year, as well as the upcoming Paris Olympics.