PM Modi and the 87-year-old head of the worldwide Catholic Church were seen engaging in a light-hearted conversation.The Pope, in a wheelchair, was escorted around the table to greet each leader at the summit venue of Borgo Egnazia.
PM Modi and Pope Francis had previously met during a private audience at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican in October 2021. Their discussions back then included the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and challenges related to climate change.
During that meeting, PM Modi informed the Pope about India’s ambitious efforts in combating climate change and achieving the milestone of administering one billion Covid-19 vaccine doses. The Pope appreciated India’s assistance to other countries during the pandemic.
India, home to the second-largest Catholic population in Asia, is hopeful for a papal visit next year.
The Outreach session focused on topics like Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Africa, and the Mediterranean. This session included participation from the G7 leaders and other invited leaders from the Global South by Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, who welcomed the Pope, referring to him as the ‘Holy Father,’ and accompanied him as he greeted various global leaders. These included US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron.
