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PM interacts with Indian Contingent bound for Commonwealth Games 2022

Published By : Admin | July 20, 2022 | 10:00 IST
“Today, the spirit of players like you is high, the training is also getting better and the atmosphere in the country towards sports is also tremendous”
“The goal is to see the tricolor flying high, to hear the national anthem being played”
“The athletes are going to the Commonwealth Games at a time when the country is celebrating 75 years of independence”
“You all have trained well, trained with the best facilities in the world. This is the time to incorporate that training and your will power”
“What you have achieved so far is definitely inspiring. But now you have to look afresh, towards new records”

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi interacted with the Indian contingent bound for the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022 today via video conferencing. The interaction was attended by both athletes as well as their coaches. Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Information & Broadcasting Shri Anurag Singh Thakur and Secretary for Sports were also present.

The Prime Minister wished the Indian contingent for Commonwealth Games on International Chess day. The Chess Olympiad is also taking place from 28 July in Tamil Nadu. He wished them for making India proud, as their predecessors did before. He informed that more than 65 athletes are participating in Commonwealth for the first time and he wished them to make a tremendous impact. He advised them to “play with all your heart, play hard, play with full force and will play without any stress”.

During the interaction, the Prime Minister enquired from Shri Avinash Sable, an athlete from Maharashtra, about his life experience of coming from Maharashtra and working in the Indian Army in Siachen. He said that he got to learn a lot from his 4 years stint in the Indian Army. He said that discipline and training he received from the Indian Army would help him shine in whichever field he would go. The PM asked him why he chose the steeplechase field while working in Siachen. He said steeplechase is all about crossing obstacles and he received similar training in the Army. The PM asked about his experience of losing weight so fast. He said that the Army motivated him to join sports and he got extra time to train himself and this helped in losing weight.

The Prime Minister further went on to speak with Achinta Sheuli, a weightlifter in the 73 kg category who hails from West Bengal and asked him how he manages to strike a balance between his peaceful nature and the power of weightlifting in his sport. Achinta said that he has a regular yoga routine that helps him calm the mind. The PM asked him about his family to which Achinta replied that he has his mother and elder brother who support him through all the highs and lows. The Prime Minister also enquired about how he deals with the injury issues that come with the sport. Achinta replied that injuries are a part of the game and that he nurses them very carefully. He further added that he analyses his mistakes that led to the injury and makes sure that they are not repeated in the future. The Prime Minister wished him good luck for his endeavours and also praised his family, especially his mother and brother for making sure that all needs of Achinta were met that got him where he is today.

The Prime Minister interacted with Ms Treesa Jolly, a badminton player from Kerala. PM enquired how she chose badminton when Kannur where she comes from is popular for football and farming. She said that her father motivated her to take the sport. PM enquired about her friendship with Gayathri Gopichand and partnership on field. She informed that a good friendship bond with her field partner helps in her sport. The PM also asked about her plans for celebration while coming back.

The Prime Minister interacted with Ms Salima Tete, a hockey player from Jharkhand. The PM asked about the journey of her and her father in the field of hockey. She said that she was inspired seeing her father play hockey. The PM asked to share her experience of playing in Tokyo Olympics. She said that she was motivated by the interaction she had with the PM before going to Tokyo.

The Prime Minister interacted with Sharmila, a para athlete in shotput from Haryana. The PM asked her about her inspiration to start a career in sport at the age of 34 and also grabbing a gold medal in only two years time. Sharmila said that she has had an interest in sports since childhood but due to the family’s financial condition she was married at an early age, and had to face atrocities at the hands of her husband. She and her two daughters had to fall back on her parents for six years. Her relative Tekchand Bhai, who was a flag bearer supported her and trained her for vigorously for eight hours a day. The PM went on to ask about her daughters and said that she is a role model for the entire nation and not just for her daughters. Sharmila further added that she wanted her daughter to join sports and contribute to the nation. The PM also enquired about her coach Tekchand Ji who is a former paralympian to which Sharmila replied that he has been her inspiration throughout her career. It was his dedication towards Sharmila’s training that got her to compete in sports. The Prime Minister remarked that others would have given up at the age at which she started her career and then congratulated her for her success and wished her good luck for the Commonwealth Games.

The Prime Minister interacted with Shri David Beckham, a cyclist from Andaman and Nicobar. PM asked whether he had passion for football as he shares the name of a legendary footballer. He said that he had passion for football but the infrastructure in Andaman didn’t allow him to pursue the sport. PM asked how he remained motivated to pursue this sport for so long. He said that people around him motivated a lot. PM asked how Khelo India helped him. He said that his journey started with Khelo India and PM speaking about him in Mann ki Baat motivated him further. PM praised him for staying motivated even after loss of his father to Tsunami and lose of his mother too soon after.

Addressing the sportspersons after the interaction, the Prime Minister said that he was not able to meet them in person due to him being preoccupied with Parliament despite wanting to do so. He promised them that he would meet them when they come back and their victory can be celebrated together.

The Prime Minister said the current period is in a way the most important period in the history of Indian sports. Today, the spirit of players is also high, the training too is getting better and the atmosphere in the country towards sports is also tremendous. All of you are climbing new peaks, making new peaks, he said.

To those who are entering the big international arena for the first time, the Prime Minister said that only the arena has changed but not the spirit and stubbornness for success. “The goal is to see the tricolor fluttering, to hear the national anthem being played. That's why don't take pressure, make an impact with a good and strong game”, he added.

The Prime Minister remarked that the athletes are going to the Commonwealth Games at a time when the country is celebrating 75 years of independence and that the athletes will showcase their best performance which will be a gift for the country. It should not matter who the adversary is. The PM said that all the athletes have trained well and with the best facilities in the world and urged them to remember the training and rely on the will power. The Prime Minister further said that what the athletes have achieved is definitely inspiring but they should now aim to create new records and give their best for the country and countrymen.

The interaction by the Prime Minister is a part of his continuous endeavour to motivate athletes ahead of their participation in major sporting events. Last year, Prime Minister interacted with the Indian athletes’ contingent bound for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the Indian para-athletes’ contingent for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Even during the sporting events, Prime Minister took a keen interest in the athletes' progress. On many occasions, he personally rang up athletes to congratulate them on their success and sincere efforts, while motivating them to do better. Further, upon their return to the country, the Prime Minister also met and interacted with the contingent.

The CWG 2022 is scheduled to be held in Birmingham from 28th July till 08th August 2022. A total of 215 athletes, participating in 141 events across 19 sporting disciplines, will represent India in the CWG 2022.

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India-Italy Joint Declaration
May 20, 2026

At the invitation of the President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic, Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, paid an official visit to Italy on 19-20 May 2026. The visit, following Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Italy in June 2024 for the G7 Summit and Prime Minister Meloni’s visit to India for the G20 Summit in 2023, provided renewed momentum to the bilateral ties. The two leaders decided to elevate India-Italy relations to the level of a Special Strategic Partnership.

Political Dialogue

The two Prime Ministers welcomed the strong momentum of high-level exchanges and agreed to hold annual meetings of leaders including on the sidelines of multilateral events, as well as regular Ministerial and institutional-level meetings.

They appreciated the concrete progress achieved across the diverse pillars of the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029 adopted by the two leaders in their meeting during the G20 Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024. They agreed to establish Foreign Ministers-led mechanism to review the India-Italy Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-29 and provide strategic guidance to India-Italy Special Strategic Partnership.

Economic Cooperation and Investments

Both leaders expressed satisfaction at the growing dynamism of bilateral economic and industrial cooperation, with three high level business fora held since the last year. Building on the opportunities arising from India’s rapid and consistent economic growth and the successful conclusion of the negotiations for the EU–India Free Trade Agreement, they reaffirmed the shared objective of expanding bilateral trade in both direction with aim to reach to € 20 billion by 2029.

They welcomed the increase of bilateral investments in key sectors and encouraged the respective industries to forge industrial and technology partnerships in order to build resilient supply chains. They welcomed the prospect of greater investments, particularly in textiles, clean technologies, semiconductors, automotive, energy, tourism, pharmaceuticals and medical technologies, digital technologies, critical raw materials, steel, ports and infrastructure. They encouraged industries to utilize the policy incentives and schemes in place in both countries which seek to enhance business linkages and production facilities.

Both Prime Ministers agreed to encourage dialogue and cooperation among stock exchanges, investment funds, venture capital, banks, insurance companies and financial institutions.

They agreed to facilitate industrial partnerships, including between SMEs, to foster deeper integration of supply chains. They encouraged new sectoral missions in the coming months in priority areas of mutual interest.

The two Prime Ministers welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in Critical Minerals. They agreed to further strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation in field of critical minerals by establishing a structured framework for collaboration, with particular emphasis on sustainability and resilient supply chains. They underscored the importance of promoting joint efforts in recovery of critical minerals from unconventional sources, including electronic waste and mine tailings, as an integral component of circular economy initiatives. They also expressed satisfaction on signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in the field of agriculture and agricultural research between respective ministries and institutions.

Connectivity

The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), recognising its transformational potential in reshaping and promoting global trade, connectivity and prosperity. Appreciating the preliminary discussions around the project, they encouraged the first IMEC Ministerial meeting to take concrete steps for advancing this initiative in 2026.

They welcomed the signing of an MoU on maritime transport and ports and directed their respective ministries/departments to establish a joint working group to implement the MoU at the earliest.

Science, Technology, Innovation, Start-ups and Artificial Intelligence

The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed that innovation, science and technology are core drivers of the India-Italy partnership.

They announced the creation of INNOVIT India, an innovation hub located in India aimed at strengthening cooperation between the respective innovation ecosystems, support startup acceleration programs, market access and business matching, joint research, university collaboration, and talent mobility in sectors including fintech, healthcare, semiconductors, logistics and supply chains, agritech, energy, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence. Both leaders welcomed the inaugural Science and Innovation Dialogue between Indian and Italian universities and research centres held in Delhi in April 2025 and look forward to holding its next edition in Italy later this year.

Both leaders underlined the importance of an open, free, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful ICT environment, which is an enabler for innovation and economic growth. PM Modi thanked PM Meloni for Italy’s constructive participation in the AI Impact Summit that took place on 19th February 2026 in New Delhi. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a human-centric, secure, trustworthy and robust Artificial Intelligence. They agreed to collaborate in this domain including in third countries.

The two Prime Ministers placed particular emphasis on opportunities for cooperation in the field of supercomputing.

Building on the 2025–2027 Executive Program for Scientific Cooperation, they supported the implementation of joint projects and the facilitation of mobility of researchers in area of quantum technologies, renewable energy, green hydrogen and sustainable blue economy. They also welcomed the ongoing implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in the field of scientific research and the launching of a joint call for proposals to fund research projects.

The two Prime Ministers acknowledged the longstanding scientific collaboration between the Indian Academia and the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste and welcomed the signing of a Letter of Intent between the Indian Department of Science and Technology and the Elettra Sincrotrone center in Trieste, Italy in support of activities related to the access of synchrotron radiation facility at Elettra for Indian researchers.

Space

While appreciating the ongoing collaboration between Italian Space Agency and the Indian Space Research Organisation, the two leaders agreed to strengthen the partnership on Earth observation, heliophysics and space exploration, with focused thematic engagement and to explore cooperation on access to space and protection of space infrastructures. They expressed satisfaction with the recent reciprocal visits of their respective space industry delegations and looked forward to further promote commercial collaboration through exchanges of experts and joint initiatives also in third countries.

Defence

Both Prime Ministers expressed satisfaction with the deepening of defence cooperation including through Ministerial exchanges, service-to-service ties, port visits, and welcomed the adoption of a Joint Declaration of Intent and a Defence Industrial Roadmap which will promote partnerships for technological cooperation, co-production and co-development projects, including helicopters, naval platforms, marine armament and electronic warfare. They also recognized the importance of protecting critical infrastructures and their related supply chains through the strengthening of industrial resilience.

The two sides agreed to examine the feasibility of establishing an annual high level military structured dialogue, complementing the work of the Joint Defence Committee and the Military Cooperation Group, and to promote joint exercises and inter-force courses.

Both leaders agreed to launch a Dialogue on Maritime Security, with the aim of increasing maritime security cooperation, coordination, and the exchange of information and best practices in the maritime domain.

Security

The two leaders strongly condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross border terrorism. The two leaders strongly condemned the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack and reiterated their commitment to cooperate in the fight against terrorists and terrorist groups and their affiliates including those listed in the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions regime. They called upon all countries to continue to work towards eliminating terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and combating the financing of terrorism, consistent with the Financial Action Task Force’s guidelines. Both leaders reiterated their commitment to work together at the UN, FATF and other multilateral platforms.

Both leaders welcomed the first meeting of the Permanent Task Force between India and Italy on countering the financing of terrorism and the upcoming meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism.

Both leaders welcomed the conclusion of an MoU between the Italian Guardia di Finanza and the Directorate of Enforcement of India and looked forward to early conclusion of the Agreement on Exchange and Mutual Protection of Classified Information and the Agreement on strengthening of Police Cooperation. They also welcomed the ongoing discussions on other agreements including Extradition Treaty and Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.

Migration and Mobility

The two leaders agreed to enhance mobility of students, researchers and skilled workers, particularly in STEM sectors, and to expand cooperation on skills development, in line with the needs of the labour market, including through a specific Joint Declaration of Intent on the facilitation of mobility of nurses from India to Italy. In this context, they welcomed the ongoing discussions between relevant agencies on Social Security Agreement (SSA).

They welcomed the launch of "ICI - Italy Calls India: a University-Enterprise talent bridge” aimed at enhancing the talent of Indian students enrolled in Italian universities by offering concrete pathways for guidance, matching, and qualified integration into Italian enterprises.

They also discussed the possibility of strengthening the cooperation to fight against irregular migration, labour exploitation and human trafficking to ensure safe and legal migration.

Culture and Educational Exchanges

The two leaders highlighted culture as a key pillar of bilateral dialogue and welcomed the signing of an MoU regarding Italy’s participation in the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex in Lothal. They acknowledged the Indian National Pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale in 2026. They expressed their intention to celebrate 2027 as the "Year of Culture and Tourism between Italy and India”, which will feature a broad calendar of initiatives, and pave the way to a major exhibition on ancient cultural relations between Italy and India to be co-organized by the two Ministries of Culture.

The two leaders encouraged the organization of an Italy–India Cultural Forum, bringing together institutions, experts, and representatives of the creative industries. The two leaders appreciated the launching of the twinning program between Indian and Italian sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, aimed at strengthening cooperation in the protection, enhancement and management of cultural heritage.

The two leaders agreed to further develop the film and audio-visual cooperation between the two Nations, building on the strength and innovative capacities of their industries and on the legal framework provided by the bilateral co-production agreement.

The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their intention to strengthening cooperation in higher education and welcomed the adoption of the Indo-Italian Roadmap on Higher Education and Research. Prime Minister Modi invited Italian universities and institutions of excellence to open campuses in India under India’s New Education Policy.

India-EU Relations

The Leaders welcomed the new Joint India–EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda agreed at the India–EU Summit on 27 January 2026 and the conclusion of negotiations of the India–EU Free Trade Agreement which would elevate ties to a new level by enhancing market access, reducing trade barriers, and strengthening economic security and resilience through diversified value chains and new market opportunities.

They also reaffirmed their support for strengthening the India–EU Trade and Technology Council as a key platform for cooperation in trade, critical technologies, and economic security. The leaders welcomed the India–EU Security and Defence Partnership and appreciated progress in mobility cooperation, including the MoU on a Comprehensive Framework for Mobility.

Multilateral Cooperation

Both Leaders stressed the urgent need to reform the United Nations to make it more representative and suited to present-day realities.

Both Leaders emphasized the importance of working together in the United Nations and other global platforms including G20 to protect multilateralism and uphold a rules-based international order.

Recognizing the strategic priority both countries attach to Africa, the two Prime Ministers agreed to work together in trilateral initiatives with African partners in areas such as Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), agriculture, education, healthcare, artificial intelligence, connectivity and infrastructure and renewable energy in line with India’s development partnership in Africa and Italy’s Mattei Plan.

The Leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to a free, open, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific, in line with international law, including UNCLOS. They look forward to their continued partnership in Science and Technology and Academic cooperation pillar of Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiatives.

Both leaders expressed deep concern over the situation in the West Asia/the Middle East and its effects in the region as well as the rest of the world. The leaders welcomed the ceasefire announced on 8 April 2026 and underlined the importance of de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy for a lasting peace in the West Asia/the Middle East. They also called for freedom of navigation and the resumption of global flows through Strait of Hormuz.

Both leaders expressed concern over the ongoing war in Ukraine, which continues to cause immense human suffering and negative global consequences. They agreed to continue to support efforts towards the achievement of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine through dialogue and diplomacy, in accordance with the international law and the principles of the UN Charter.

Conclusion

Noting the impressive growth and deepening of India-Italy Special Strategic Partnership, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further expand cooperation across all sectors and continue close high-level consultations on key global and regional developments.

Prime Minister Modi thanked Prime Minister Meloni for the warm hospitality extended by the Government and the people of the Italian Republic and invited Prime Minister Meloni to visit India at a mutually convenient time.