New Delhi: With Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to embark for Italy on Thursday to participate in this year's Group of Seven (G7) Summit, the importance of India's role in multilateralism in today's world and promoting the voice of the Global South again comes into focus.
This will be Modi's first overseas visit after assuming office for the third time in the wake of the Lok Sabha elections. The visit also assumes significance because it comes less than a year after India held the presidency of the G20.
This will be Modi’s fifth consecutive participation in a G7 Summit since 2019. Till now, India has participated in the outreach summits of the G7 Summits 11 times.
Addressing a pre-departure media briefing here on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said that June 14 is the main day of the outreach summit of this year’s G7 Summit.
"India's regular participation of the G7 summits clearly points to the increasing recognition and contribution of the efforts that India has been consistently making in trying to resolve global challenges, including those of peace, security, development and environment preservation,” Kwatra said.
"India’s participation in the G7 Summit is of particular importance because of India’s recently held presidency of the G20. India has so far held two sessions of Voice of the Global South Summit," added Kwatra.
It is worth mentioning here that during the G20 Summit held in New Delhi in September last year, India took the initiative to bring the African Union on board the intergovernmental forum that earlier comprised 19 sovereign nations and the European Union that works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate change mitigation and sustainable development. African countries comprise the majority of the countries of the Global South.
"At the G7 summits, we (India) always bring up the issues of the Global South," Kwatra said.
The Foreign Secretary further explained that in this year’s G7 Summit to be held at Apulia in Italy from June 13 to 15, the focus will be on four substantive issues: the wars between Russia and Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas in West Asia; relationships with developing nations especially with focus on Africa and the Indo-Pacific region; migration with linkages to climate change and food security; and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
"On the sidelines of the G7 Summit, the Prime Minister is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with leaders of the G7 nations,” Kwatra said, adding that details of these will be shared as and when these are scheduled.
Apart from India, Italy, as the host nation, has also invited Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, Kenya, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Tunisia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as outreach nations for the G7 Summit.
Kwatra said a bilateral meeting between Modi and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni is also scheduled during the course of the visit to Italy.
What is the G7 and why do its annual summits hold significance?
The G7 is an intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US; additionally, the European Union (EU) is a "non-enumerated member". It is organised around shared values of pluralism, liberal democracy, and representative government. The G7 members are major International Monetary Fund (IMF) advanced economies.
Originating from an ad hoc gathering of finance ministers in 1973, the G7 has since become a formal, high-profile venue for discussing and coordinating solutions to major global issues, especially in the areas of trade, security, economics, and climate change. Each member's head of government or state, along with the EU’s Commission President and European Council President, meet annually at the G7 Summit. Other high-ranking officials of the G7 and the EU meet throughout the year.
Russia was added to the political forum from 1997, which the following year became known as the G8. In March 2014, Russia was suspended indefinitely following the annexation of Crimea, whereupon the political forum name reverted to G7. In January 2017, Russia announced its permanent withdrawal from the G8.
The G7 summits provide a platform for member countries to coordinate their economic policies. Given their collective economic weight, these decisions can influence global economic trends and stability.
Historically, the G7 has played a critical role in responding to global economic crises, including the 1980s debt crisis, the 1997 Asian financial crisis, and the 2008 global financial crisis. These summits allow for direct and informal discussions among world leaders, fostering diplomatic relationships and reducing tensions.
While primarily economic, the G7 has increasingly addressed global security issues, including terrorism, non-proliferation, and regional conflicts.
The G7 has been instrumental in promoting development aid and addressing global inequalities. Initiatives like the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria were supported by the G7. The G7 has also increasingly focused on climate change, committing to reducing carbon emissions, promoting renewable energy, and supporting international agreements like the Paris Agreement.
What is the importance of India as an outreach nation during the G7 summits?
India's engagement with the G7 as an outreach nation holds significant importance for both the G7 countries and New Delhi. India is one of the world's fastest-growing major economies, with a large and youthful population that contributes to its dynamic market. As the world's fifth-largest economy, India’s economic policies and growth have global implications.
India plays a key role in maintaining stability in South Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific region. Its strategic importance is recognised in the context of regional security, counter-terrorism efforts, and maintaining a rules-based international order. India's participation in G7 outreach reflects its position as a counterbalance to the rising influence of China in Asia. India's involvement in the Quad alongside the US, Japan, and Australia complements its engagement with the G7, reinforcing collaborative efforts in the Indo-Pacific region. The inclusion of India helps promote a multipolar world order, ensuring diverse voices in global governance.
India is a critical player in global efforts to combat climate change. With its ambitious renewable energy targets and participation in international climate agreements, India’s cooperation is essential for global sustainability initiatives.
What is the state of relations between India and the 2024 G7 Summit host nation Italy?
As Kwatra mentioned, Modi and Meloni will hold a bilateral meeting during the G7 Summit. The two Prime Ministers last met during the COP28 Summit in the UAE in December last year.
"India-Italy exchanges have become intense in the last one year,” the Foreign Secretary said. “During the Italian Prime Minister's state visit to India in March last year, the bilateral relationship was elevated to that of a strategic partnership with focus on defence, Indo-Pacific, energy, and science and technology."
Italy is India’s fourth-largest trading partner in the European Union. Bilateral trade between the two countries currently stands at $15 billion
Italy is also home to a 200,000-strong Indian diaspora.
