MODI's warm meeting with POPE FRANCIS: The Prime Minister invites the Pope to INDIA

The meeting was scheduled for 20 minutes, but it lasted more than an hour when the two eminent personalities began to converse and share their opinions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Rome to attend the G20 summit, met with Pope Francis at the Vatican. The Prime Minister held talks with the Pope for more than an hour and a half. Modi was accompanied by External Affairs Minister S Jayashankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.

During their first meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pope Francis addressed a wide variety of global concerns, including the Covid-19 crisis, climate change, and poverty alleviation.

Pope Francis received a specially crafted silver candelabra and a book on India's climate measures from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In exchange, the Pope presented the PM with a bronze plaque bearing the words "The desert will become a garden," his message for World Day of Peace, and the document on Human Fraternity.

According to sources at the Foreign Ministry, Pope Francis has been asked to visit India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an hour-and-a-half talk at the Vatican. Following Pope John Paul II's visit to India in 1999, now another pope is planning to visit the country.

‘Had a very warm meeting with Pope Francis. I had the opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues with him and also invited him to visit India.' Modi tweeted. After visiting the Pope, Modi also met with a delegation, including Vatican Foreign Secretary Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Modi is the fifth Indian Prime Minister to visit the Pope at the Vatican.

Had a very warm meeting with Pope Francis. I had the opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues with him and also invited him to visit India. @Pontifex pic.twitter.com/QP0If1uJAC

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 30, 2021

In June 1955, Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister to visit a Pope. In November 1981, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi travelled to Italy and met with Pope John Paul II. In September 1997, Prime Minister I.K Gujral made a visit to Pope John Paul II, and in June 2000, Prime Minister AB Vajpayee made a visit to Pope John Paul II.

Narendra Modi, who arrived in Rome to attend the G20 summit, was given a warm welcome. The Indian community celebrated Modi's arrival by waving the tricolor flag and chanting Modi's name and singing and dancing. After paying homage to the Gandhi statue at the Piazza, Modi met the Indian community.

Modi then met with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for official talks. The leaders discussed bilateral relations between India and the European Union, trade, the post-Covid economic revival, the Afghan issue, and environmental issues.

Modi is scheduled to meet a number of world leaders during the summit, including Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. Modi will leave for Glasgow tomorrow evening to attend the Climate Summit (COP-26) on November 1 and 2. Modi will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett during the summit on November 1, the foreign ministry said.