Evian [France], June 16 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday joined several global leaders for the traditional group photograph at the 52nd G7 Summit being held in the lakeside resort of Evian-les-Bains, France.

Captured in the iconic frame alongside PM Modi were key world leaders, including European Council President Antonio Costa, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Before the group photo was taken, French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the venue of the G7 Summit 2026 in Evian, France.

PM Modi had arrived in the French city earlier on Tuesday to attend the high-profile gathering, following an official invitation from the French President. This special invitation marks India's 13th appearance at the summit as a partner nation, alongside being the seventh consecutive time the Prime Minister is participating in the global forum.

Before he arrived in France, the Prime Minister had made a brief transit stop in Geneva, Switzerland, where he initiated his European diplomatic outreach by meeting with Swiss Confederation President Guy Parmelin.

Commenting on the transit halt, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the two leaders exchanged warm greetings and reiterated their shared commitment to deepening the India-Switzerland partnership.

Setting the stage for India's active engagement in Evian following these initial diplomatic interactions, PM Modi is scheduled to participate in a key working session titled 'Forging New Partnerships and Rebuilding International Solidarity'.

This session will bring together leaders from G7 countries, partner nations and heads of prominent global financial institutions, including the World Bank and the African Development Bank, with deliberations expected to centre on international cooperation, sustainable development and pressing global economic challenges.

Beyond these collective sessions, the Prime Minister's itinerary is packed with high-level diplomacy on the sidelines of the event, where he is slated to hold a series of crucial bilateral meetings with global counterparts, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Adding to this intense diplomatic schedule, a highly anticipated bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump is also on the cards for 17 June, which the White House confirmed will focus heavily on advancing the proposed India-US trade agreement.

The entire multi-nation diplomatic momentum leading up to PM Modi's arrival in France follows a landmark visit to Slovakia, which marked a historic milestone as the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister since the Central European nation gained independence in 1993.

That initial leg of the tour culminated in a major upgrade of bilateral relations, with both sides elevating their ties to a Comprehensive Partnership, paving the way for enhanced cooperation in technology, defence, trade, education, innovation and people-to-people ties.

Reflecting warmly on the successful conclusion of that historic Slovakian leg just before pivoting to the G7 stage, PM Modi shared, 'Concluding a historic and productive visit to Slovakia. The outcomes of this visit will go a long way in strengthening bilateral ties between our nations. Stronger trade relations will greatly benefit our youth. Gratitude to the Slovakian government and people for the warmth. I am very grateful to Prime Minister Fico for coming to see me off.'

Summing up the trajectory of the prime ministerial tour, MEA Spokesperson Jaiswal further underscored that the initial visit had successfully scripted a new chapter in India-Slovakia relations, setting a collaborative tone that PM Modi now carries into the wider G7 deliberations. (ANI)