India fully supports the priority areas chosen by Italy for its G20 presidency which include recovery from the pandemic, strengthening global health governance, economic recovery and resilience, climate change and food security, said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Thursday.
Addressing a special briefing here ahead of Prime Minister's Modi's visit to Europe, Shringla noted that New Delhi remains engaged on "each and every of these agenda items" through the presidency of Italy this year.
FS Shringla further spoke about PM Modi's upcoming visit to UK's Glasgow for the world leaders summit of COP26, and Rome for the G20 summit.
"He would be in Rome for the G20 summit at the invitation of the prime minister of Italy. This would be the prime Minister's eighth G20 summit," Shringla said.
The summit last year hosted by Saudi Arabia was held virtually because of the COVID-19. The last in-person Summit that Prime Minister Modi had attended was in Osaka in 2019.
The theme of the G20 meet this year under the Italian Presidency is centred around 'People, Planet and Prosperity.
The summit is being attended by heads of state/government of G20 member countries, the European Union and other invited countries and international organisations.
"The focus of Italy is on recovery from the pandemic, strengthening global health governance, economic recovery and resilience, climate change and energy transition and sustainable development and food security," Shringla said.
"India fully supports the priority areas chosen by Italy and we remain engaged on each and every of these agenda items through the presidency of Italy this year and in the run-up to the summit," he added.
At G20, PM Modi is expected to pitch for collective measures to deal with the situation in Afghanistan.
The G20 is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union. Its members account for more than 80 per cent of global GDP, 75 per cent of global trade and 60 per cent population.
Shringla said, today G20 has emerged as "not only the premier global forum for international cooperations but also an important platform to exchange, innovate and deliberate on policy issues that have a direct and tangible impact on the quality of life of our citizens and this could be in areas of global financial stability, sustainable finance, health, food security, etc."
( With inputs from ANI )
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