Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Video of a special meeting between PM Modi and the Pope at G7 Summit in Italy. The Indian PM was the only one among the world leaders invited by the Pope.
Fact
2021 video showing PM Modi meeting the Pope at the Vatican. Pope Francis met multiple world leaders on the sidelines of the G7 Summit.
A video showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi with The Pope has surfaced on social media, with users claiming that it shows their recent meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy. They further claimed that among all the world leaders only the Indian PM was invited by the Pope from the meeting. Newschecker found the claim to be untrue. The video is actually from 2021, and the Pope met multiple world leaders during his Italy visit for the G7 Summit.
Multiple X and Facebook users shared the video claiming,”The media doesn’t show this outreach. Only ModiJi was invited by Pope out of all state heads attending meeting G7 meet at Italy. This is the power of India today… (sic)”
Such posts can be seen here , here and here.
Also Read: Old Photo Of Durga Puja Ritual In Assam Temple Falsely Linked To Ratlam Temple Desecration
Fact Check/Verification
A Google lens search on the keyframes of the video showing PM Modi with the Pope led us to an X post by @ANI, dated October 30, 2021. The post featured a shorter version of the viral video to show a meeting between PM Modi and Pope Francis at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican. “This was the first meeting between an Indian PM and the Pope in more than two decades,” the MEA was quoted as saying on the same.
We then looked up keywords “PM Modi,” “Pope,” “Vatican” and “2021” on Google which yielded a report by The Hindu from October 2021. Detailing their Vatican meet, the report stated, “ Mr. Modi, who gifted a silver candle stand to the Pope, was accompanied by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla.”
“Mr. Modi gave Pope Francis a silver candelabra and a book, The Climate Climb: India’s strategy, actions and achievements. The Pope gave Mr. Modi a collection of his main teaching documents and a bronze medallion featuring a tree and the words in Italian “The desert will become a garden”,” it added.
We found that the viral clip was shared on the official YouTube channel of Narendra Modi in October, 2021, to show glimpses of his meeting with Pope Francis in the Vatican City.
The Prime Minister also shared photographs of his meeting with the Pope in the Vatican on October 30, 2021. “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, he said in an X post following the meeting.
Hence, the viral footage showing a meeting between PM Modi and the Pope is not from the recent G7 Summit.
Also Read: Viral Video Showing Eid Celebrations In West Bengal Is Actually From Bangladesh
The Pope Meets World Leaders At G7 Summit In Italy
PM Narendra Modi did meet Pope Francis during the recent G7 Summit in Italy. Sharing photographs of them together, the PM wrote on X, “Met Pope Francis on the sidelines of the @G7 Summit. I admire his commitment to serve people and make our planet better. Also invited him to visit India”
Notably, Pope Francis, who was at the Summit to address a special session on the perils and promises of AI, met multiple world leaders who participated in the event including Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and US’ Joe Biden. Multiple news outlets reported on his meetings with different world leaders on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy. Some of these reports can be seen here, here and here.
We skimmed through the official website of Narendra Modi, but did not find a mention of any “special” meeting between him and the Pope. The website lists his bilateral talks with Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and UK PM Rishi Sunak among others.
An AIR article on PM Modi’s bilateral talks at the G7 Summit too did not mention any special meetings with the Pope. The official X handles of the Prime Minister, the MEA spokesperson were also devoid of any information about a special invite to Narendra Modi by the Pope.
Also Read: Old, Controversial Quote Of Javed Miandad Inviting Indian Cricket Team To Pakistan Shared As Recent
Conclusion
We could thus conclude that an old video from the Vatican has been shared to show a special meeting between PM Modi and the Pope on the sidelines of the recent G7 Summit in Italy.
Result: False
Sources
X Post By @ANI, Dated October 30, 2021
Report By The Hindu, Dated October 30, 2021
YouTube Video By Narendra Modi, Dated October 30, 2021
Official Website Of Narendra Modi
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
