PM Modi to attend virtual climate summit after invitation from US President Joe Biden

US President Joe Biden has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the Climate Summit to be held virtually on April 22-23, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday (April 2).

The MEA confirmed that PM Modi will participate in the summit. The White House Has invited 40 world leaders for the virtual summit. Confirming PM Modi attending at the summit, Spokesperson for the ministry of external affairs Arindam Bagchi said, "President Biden of US, invited PM Modi to attend the climate leaders' summit that will happen virtually...PM welcomed President Biden's initiative and accepted the invitation".

This will be the second virtual interaction of PM Modi with President Biden, after the Quad meet.

From South Asia, PMs of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan have been invited. Notably, Pakistan hasn't been invited to attend the virtual summit. 

US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry will be visiting India from April 5-8. Kerry will be the second top Biden Administration official to visit India in the last one month. March saw the visit of US Defense secretary Lloyd Austin. The visit by top American officials comes even as both New Delhi and Washington increase engagement on several fronts, from cooperation against covid to climate change.

Bagchi said, "The purpose of the visit will be discussing the forthcoming climate leaders' summit and climate issues in general in the context of 26th 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference."

During the visit, John Kerry will hold talks with India's Environment Prakash Javadekar and expected to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Climate has been a key priority area for the new US administration. On the first day of his office, President Biden announced the US joining the Paris Climate Pact, from which previous US President Trump had withdrawn.

According to the White House, the aim of the summit is, "galvanizing efforts by the world’s major economies to reduce emissions during this critical decade to keep a limit to warming of 1.5 degree Celsius within reach.". Summit will reconvene the US-led Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, which brings together 17 countries responsible for approximately 80 per cent of global emissions and global GDP.

India has its own ambitious International Solar Alliance which aims to harness solar energy to fight climate change. As of 15 January 2021, 89 Countries have signed the Framework Agreement of the ISA. India is expected to talk about that during Kerry's India visit and also the upcoming Climate Meet led by US.