PM Modi Meets Pope Francis at G7 Session, Invites Him to Visit India

Bari: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday invited Pope Francis to visit India and said he mired pontiff's commitment to serving people.

y met with a warm embrace at Outreach session of G7 Summit in Apulia, sourn Italy where y joined or world leers to deliberate on topic of Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Africa and Mediterranean.

"Met Pope Francis on sidelines of @G7 Summit. I mire his commitment to serve people and make our planet better. Also invited him to visit India," Modi said in a post on X.

Modi and BJP have me several overtures to Christian community before general elections in country.

Modi was seen in a light-hearted exchange with 87-year-old he of worldwide Catholic Church, who was taken around table in a wheelchair to greet each of world leers gared at summit venue of Borgo Egnazia.

"It is up to each of us to make good use of AI,” Pope said in his dress at Outreach session on topic of Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Africa and Mediterranean, attended by participants of G7 and or leers of Global South invited by Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni in her capacity as president of this year’s summit.

She greeted “Holy Far” and n joined wheelchair-bound octogenarian as he greeted leers with handshakes including US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and French President Emmanuel Macron among ors.

Prime Minister met Pope Francis during a private audience at Apostolic Palace in Vatican in October 2021.

At time, two leers discussed COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences for people across world. y also discussed challenges posed by climate change.

Prime Minister briefed Pope about ambitious initiatives taken by India in combating climate change as well as India's success in ministering one billion Covid-19 vaccination doses. His Holiness is said to have appreciated India’s assistance to countries in need during pandemic.

According to PMO, India and Holy See – Vatican-based government of Catholic Church – have friendly relations dating back to establishment of diplomatic relations in 1948.

India being home to second-largest Catholic population in Asia is hopeful of a papal visit next year.