Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a tour of France and Slovakia on Saturday, June 13, 2024, to attend the G7 summit [1].

The visit signals India's intention to position itself as a primary voice for developing nations on the global stage. By linking bilateral diplomacy with the G7 platform, India aims to influence high-level discussions on economic stability and security.

Modi is visiting France to deepen strategic partnerships, with a specific focus on enhancing defense and technology ties [2]. The itinerary also includes a trip to Slovakia, marking the first visit by an Indian prime minister to the country since its independence [3].

The diplomatic tour will culminate in the G7 summit held in Évian-les-Bains, France, from June 15 to 17, 2024 [4]. During the summit, India intends to raise critical issues affecting the Global South, including energy security, and the economic challenges facing developing economies [2].

Officials said the prime minister will also address the role of artificial intelligence and its impact on global governance [2]. The visit is designed to leverage India's growing influence to ensure that the concerns of non-G7 nations are integrated into the group's final communiqués.

This strategic alignment of bilateral visits and multilateral summits allows India to solidify its security architecture in Europe while asserting its leadership over the Global South [2, 5].

“India will speak for Global South at G7 summit”

India's decision to pair a historic first visit to Slovakia with a high-profile G7 appearance demonstrates a dual-track foreign policy. By strengthening ties with smaller European nations and the G7 power bloc simultaneously, India is expanding its diplomatic footprint to ensure it remains indispensable to both Western security interests and the economic aspirations of the developing world.