Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday, met Pope Francis at the Vatican.
He is the fifth Prime Minister of India to visit the Pope; the first four are Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, I.K. Gujral, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The Prime Minister is on a trip to Italy and the UK to participate in the G20 and COP26 Summits.
Pope Francis is a strong advocate for action to tackle climate change. India, committed to reducing harmful emissions, has initiated several ambitious projects such as the Solar Alliance in its quest to produce 450 GW of clean and renewable energy.
In an hour-long meeting, the Prime Minister also invited Pope Francis to visit India.
Mr. Modi meets the Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi
Apart from the G20, Italy is also co-hosting the COP26, along with the UK.
In his meeting with Mr. Draghi, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the concerns of the developing countries about finance commitments made by the developed nations.
Also discussed was the cooperation in renewable energy, food processing, and waste management.
The Prime Ministers also discussed Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific, and both sides agreed to further their multifaceted relation.
They released a joint statement announcing a strategic partnership in Energy Transition, agreeing to explore green corridor projects, smart grids, and energy storage solutions.
PM meets Indologists and Sanskritists
Prime Minister Modi met Indologists and Sanskrit experts from the Italian universities.
Mr. Modi appreciated their role in strengthening the ties between Italy and India via their interest in tIndian culture, literature, and Yoga.
The PM interacted with the Indian Diaspora and also met members from Sikh Community and ISKCON.