PM Modi heading to G7 Summit "to salvage his diminished international image": Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, just before Modi's departure for the G7 Summit in Italy. 

Ramesh drew a comparison with former PM Manmohan Singh's influential visit to the same summit in 2007, claiming that PM Modi is heading to Italy to "salvage" his "diminished" international image. 

The Congress General Secretary (Communications) further said that Manmohan Singh emerged as the "Voice of Global South" through substance and not through "hollow self-boasts." 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to depart for Italy today to attend the Summit of the Group of Seven (G7), marking his first trip abroad after assuming office for the third consecutive term. 

Taking to social media platform X, Jairam Ramesh said, "The G7 Summit of the heads of state of the USA, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, UK and Japan has been taking place since the late 1970s. Between 1997 and 2014, Russia was also a member. Since 2003, India, China, Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa have also been invited to G7 Summits." 

The Rajya Sabha MP said that Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Angela Merkel had presented the 'Singh-Merkel formula' for ensuring equity in global climate change negotiations to the world during the 2007 summit. 

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Taking a jibe at PM Modi, the Congress leader referred to him as "ek tihai pradhan mantri" (one-third prime minister) and said that it can't be expected from him to accept this history. 

"The most famous of the G7 Summits from India's point of view was in June 2007 in Helligendamm, Germany. It was here that the famous Singh-Merkel formula for ensuring equity in global climate change negotiations was first presented to the world. It is still talked about. Dr. Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Angela Merkel created history. Dr Manmohan Singh had emerged as the voice of the Global South through substance and not through hollow self-boasts," Ramesh said. 

"Of course, it is too much to expect from our ek tihai (one-third) Pradhan Mantri to know or acknowledge this history as he flies to Italy today to salvage his diminished international image at this year's Summit," the Congress leader added. 

The G7 Summit is scheduled to be held between June 13-14 in the Apulia region of Italy. India has been invited as an Outreach Country to the Summit, which will see participation from the seven member countries, US, UK, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and France, as well as the European Union. It will be India's 11th participation in the G7 Summit and PM Modi's fifth consecutive participation at the G7 Summit. 

On the sidelines of the Summit, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings and discussions with the leaders of the G7 and Outreach nations as well as the international organisations. 

Foreign Secretary Kwatra said that PM Modi is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni and the two leaders are expected to review the entire gamut of bilateral ties. 

The Indian ambassador to Italy, Vani Rao, said that Prime Minister Modi will play an important role in one of the global platforms to engage with other world leaders present at the G7 Summit on issues of importance to India as well as to the Global South.