DigitEye India Fact Checkers
A video showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi with The Pope has surfaced on social media, with users claiming that it shows their recent special 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 G7 Summit meeting.
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.No credit is given to ModiJi by Indian Seculars… (sic)”. See the claim below.
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. No credit is given to ModiJi by Indian Seculars… pic.twitter.com/czOdsexTvU
— Aadhan Telugu (@AadhanTelugu) June 20, 2024
FACT-CHECK
Digiteye India took it up for fact-checking. First, we conducted a Google Reverse Image Search taking key frames from the video. The search results showed that the video showing PM Modi with the Pope was from Modi’s official Youtube channel, dated October 30, 2021.
The post featuring a shorter version of the viral video shows a meeting between PM Modi and Pope Francis at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City on October 30, 2021. It was shared by the External Affairs Ministry stating, “This was the first meeting between an Indian PM and the Pope in more than two decades.”
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 after the meeting.
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
Hence, the claim that the video shows meeting between Modi and Pope Francis at the G7 meeting held recently was false. No such special invitation was extended only to Modi at the G7 meeting.
Claim: Only ModiJi was invited by Pope out of all state heads attending meeting G7 meet at Italy.
Conclusion: The claim is false. The video shared shows a meeting between PM Modi and Pope Francis at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City on October 30, 2021 and not from the recent G7 meeting.
Rating: Misrepresentation — 
