PM Modi Begins 3-Nation Tour to Cyprus, Canada, Croatia; G7 on Agenda
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday begins five-day, three-nation tour to Cyprus, Canada, and Croatia, his first overseas visit since India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’ counter-terrorism strikes. The high-profile tour includes attendance at the G7 Summit in Canada, where a closely-watched meeting with his Canadian counterpart is anticipated amid strained diplomatic ties.
In his departure statement, PM Modi said the tour is an opportunity to thank partner countries for their “steadfast support to India in our fight against cross-border terrorism” and to “galvanise global understanding on tackling terrorism in all its forms.”
The first leg of the tour, from June 15 to 16, will see PM Modi in the Republic of Cyprus, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Mediterranean nation in over two decades. He is scheduled to hold talks with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides to expand ties in trade, investment, security, and technology. The visit is seen as a move to strengthen engagement with a key partner in the European Union.
From Cyprus, the Prime Minister will travel to Kananaskis, Canada, for the G7 Summit on June 16 and 17. At the invitation of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, this will be PM Modi’s sixth consecutive participation in the summit as an outreach partner. He is expected to speak on key global challenges, including energy security and technology cooperation, particularly focusing on the AI-energy nexus and quantum computing.
This visit to Canada is particularly significant as it comes after a diplomatic chill over the Khalistani issue. Relations soured in September 2023 after then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations regarding the killing of separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. New Delhi had dismissed the charge as ‘absurd’. Both nations now view the meeting between the two prime ministers as an important opportunity to “explore pathways to set or reset the relationship.”
The final leg of the tour on June 18 will be a historic first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Republic of Croatia. PM Modi is scheduled to meet with President Zoran Milanovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic to open new avenues for bilateral cooperation. “Both our countries enjoy centuries-old close cultural links,” PM Modi stated, highlighting the potential for strengthening ties with the key European nation.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to return to India on June 19.
