Guwahati, June 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Pope Francis to visit India, expressing his admiration for the pontiff’s dedication to serving humanity. This invitation was extended during their meeting at the G7 Summit in Apulia, southern Italy, where global leaders gathered to discuss Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Africa, and the Mediterranean.

“Met Pope Francis on the side-lines of the @G7 Summit. I admire his commitment to serve people and make our planet better. Also invited him to visit India,” Modi shared in a post on X.

Modi’s engagement with Pope Francis comes amid the BJP’s outreach efforts to the Christian community ahead of the upcoming general elections. The 87-year-old Pope, navigating the venue in a wheelchair, exchanged greetings with world leaders, including Modi.

The meeting follows a previous encounter at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican in October 2021, where discussions focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and India’s significant efforts in these areas. Modi highlighted India’s ambitious climate initiatives and the successful administration of one billion COVID-19 vaccine doses, receiving appreciation from Pope Francis for India’s pandemic assistance to other nations.

Diplomatic relations between India and The Holy See dates back to 1948, and with India housing the second-largest Catholic population in Asia, there is optimism for a papal visit in the coming year.

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