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NEW DELHI: At the G7 summit next week, India will not only speak for itself, but it will also give voice to the aspirations of the Global South, said PM Narendra Modi ahead of his departure to France where he will participate in the summit and also have bilateral engagements with French President Emmanual Macron. The PM will have bilateral meetings with US President Donald Trump and Canadian PM Mark Carney, along with other G7 leaders, on the margins.After his meeting with Macron on Sunday in Nice, Modi will travel to Slovakia for the first ever visit by an Indian PM to the country since its independence in 1993 before returning to France for the Evian G7 summit on June 16-17.“India’s presence at the G7 reflects the trust our partners place in us and our growing global profile. This is the 8th consecutive G7 Summit to which India has been invited,” said the PM, who will also participate in a special meeting on West Asia hosted by France on the sidelines of the summit. Leaders of Qatar, UAE and Egypt are also expected to attend the meeting.Modi is expected to underscore India’s concerns over the consequences of the West Asia conflict, including the energy crisis, for the Global South in his engagements while stressing the significance of freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. In an interview to TOI ahead of G7, French ambassador Thierry Mathou had signalled France’s intent to have India’s participation in a “defensive” coalition that would work with Iran to secure the Strait after the end of the conflict. Mathou had said that India’s presence would send a powerful signal.Ahead of his bilateral meeting with Macron, Modi said, “Earlier this year, President Macron visited India and we elevated our relationship to a Special Global Strategic Partnership… We will review the progress made since Feb, and chart the next steps in our cooperation.
