Kananaskis [Canada], June 18 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada.

The two leaders shared a warm hug as they met, reflecting the close bond between India and France.

Prime Minister Modi later took to X (formerly Twitter), describing the meeting as a pleasure and highlighting the strong India-France partnership. 'It's always a delight to interact with my friend, President Emmanuel Macron and exchange perspectives on a wide range of issues. India and France will keep working closely for the betterment of our planet,' he posted.

The meeting with Macron was one among several high-level bilateral engagements undertaken by PM Modi at the 51st G7 Summit in Kananaskis, where he met with leaders from Mexico, South Korea, Australia, South Africa, France and Canada, reaffirming India's commitment to strengthening global partnerships.

Kicking off his bilateral engagements, Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, posted on X, 'PM @narendramodi met President Mr. Lee Jae-Myung @Jaemyung_Lee of Republic of Korea on the sidelines of the 51st #G7Summit in Kananaskis, Canada.' The meeting saw both sides reaffirm their commitment to deepening the India-Republic of Korea Special Strategic Partnership by exploring cooperation in trade and economy, critical and emerging technologies, green hydrogen, shipbuilding, culture, and people-to-people ties. Regional and global issues were also discussed.

Further strengthening ties in the Latin American region, Jaiswal stated in another post, 'Boosting India-Mexico warm & historical ties. PM @narendramodi met President Dr. @Claudiashein of Mexico, on the sidelines of 51st G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada. This was the first meeting between the two leaders. Both sides discussed avenues to further deepen cooperation in trade, pharmaceuticals, S&T, digital innovation and shared perspectives on key global & regional issues, including priorities of the Global South.'

Expanding on the meeting, Prime Minister Modi said, 'I had a very good meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. I personally congratulated her on her historic electoral victory, becoming the first female President of Mexico in two centuries. We both see immense potential for further strengthening ties between India and Mexico in the future, especially in sectors such as agriculture, semiconductors, critical minerals, healthcare, among others. We also discussed ways to strengthen the ties between our peoples.'

PM Modi also extended an invitation to President Sheinbaum to visit India. He congratulated President of Mexico on her historic victory and thanked President Sheinbaum for the support extended by Mexico in India's fight against terrorism.

Continuing his diplomatic engagements at the summit, Prime Minister Modi also interacted with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia. In a post on X, PM Modi said, 'Good to meet my friend, PM Albanese of Australia during the G7 Summit in Canada! @AlboMP'

Highlighting India's engagement with the host nation, Jaiswal shared, 'Building bridges for global progress and cooperation. PM @MarkJCarney of Canada welcomed PM @narendramodi at the #G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada.'

Adding to the series of key bilateral meetings, Prime Minister Modi also met with President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa. In a social media post, PM Modi wrote, 'Happy to interact with the President of South Africa, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa at the G7 Summit. @CyrilRamaphosa'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge in Canada on Tuesday to attend the G7 Summit. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney received PM Modi as he arrived at the summit venue in Kananaskis, Alberta.

This marks his sixth consecutive participation in the G7 Summit and his first visit to Canada in a decade. PM Modi received a ceremonial welcome at the Calgary airport, where India's acting high commissioner, Chinmoy Naik, was among those who received him.

Setting the tone for his engagements, PM Modi, upon arriving in Calgary, said on Monday (local time) that he would meet various leaders at the G7 Summit and share his thoughts on important global issues.

PM Modi added that he would also emphasise the priorities of the Global South during the summit. This visit is part of his three-nation official tour, which began with Cyprus and will conclude with Croatia.

In a post on X, PM Modi stated, 'Landed in Calgary, Canada, to take part in the G7 Summit. Will be meeting various leaders at the Summit and sharing my thoughts on important global issues. Will also be emphasising the priorities of the Global South.'

The G7 Summit is an annual gathering of leaders from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada, and the European Union (EU). This marks PM Modi's sixth consecutive participation in the G7 Summit. (ANI)