Narendra Modi in Rome Live Updates: PM meets Italian counterpart Mario Draghi on sidelines of G20 summit

Narendra Modi in Rome Live Updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met his Italian counterpart Mario Draghi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rome and the two leaders discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interests. Modi, who arrived here earlier in the day at the invitation of his Italian counterpart, was received by Draghi upon his arrival at Palazzo Chigi for their first in-person meeting. He was also accorded a guard of honour.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi held wide-ranging talks with the top leaders of the European Union in Italy during which the two sides discussed deepening the India-EU friendship, particularly in areas such as political and security relations, trade, culture and the environment.

After he arrived here to participate in the G20 Summit, Modi began his official engagements in Rome with a “productive interaction” with President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. During the meeting, they reviewed India-EU cooperation covering political and security relations, trade and investment and economic cooperation as well as the Roadmap2025 agreed at the last India-EU Summit.

In his departure statement on Thursday, Modi said he will be visiting Rome and the Vatican City from October 29-31 at the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, following which he will travel to Glasgow, the UK, from November 1-2 at the invitation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The prime minister said on the sidelines of the G20 Summit he will also meet with leaders of other partner countries and review the progress in India’s bilateral relations with them.