India Invited To G-7 Summit In Paris

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the 45th G-7 Summit to be held at Biarritz in South France from 24th-26th August, 2019. India has been invited as a ‘Special Invitee’ along with Australia, Chile and South Africa by French President Emmanuel Macron. G-7 usually engages key leaders from the world community through its outreach sessions during summits for frank discussions on pressing challenges confronting the globe.

The invitation is acknowledgement of the rise and increasing profile of India as a significant economic and political power, a manifestation of the expanding and deepening strategic partnership between India and France, and testimony to the personal rapport and chemistry between Prime Minister Modi and President Macron.

While extending the invitation, President Macron referred to India’s key role in promoting globalisation and protecting the environment. Mr. Modi had launched the International Solar Alliance (ISA) on the side-lines of the COP21 Meeting in Paris in 2015, jointly with the then French President Francois Hollande. Subsequently the Indian Prime Minister had travelled to Paris directly after attending the St Petersburg International Economic Forum to meet and congratulate Mr. Macron on his election in June, 2017. This was days after US President Donald Trump announced withdrawal of USA from the Paris Accord. Both Prime Minister Modi and President Macron had declared that they would continue to observe and abide by their commitments under the Paris Accord. During visit of the French President to India in March 2018, the Founding Conference of ISA was organised to give an impetus to this initiative.

In addition to issues of globalisation, climate change and climate justice, Prime Minister Modi and President Macron share the same position on the issue of terrorism. Both India and France are victims of terrorism. The two countries follow the policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and are in favour of taking all possible measures to defeat this scourge. France has supported India’s call for an International Conference on Terrorism which the Indian Prime Minister gave during his Address to the Maldivian Parliament on 8th June, 2019.

The Group of Seven or G-7 comprises of seven largest, advanced economies, representing 58% of the global net wealth ($317 trillion), more than 46% of the global gross domestic product (GDP) based on nominal values, and more than 32% of global GDP on purchasing power parity (PPP). These include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom,and the United States. European Union is also represented at G-7 summits. The Group was launched as G-6 by France in 1975 and with the addition of Canada the next year emerged as G-7. Russia was invited to the Grouping in 1997 making it G-8 but was evicted after Russia’s ‘’annexation’’ of Crimea in 2014.

Since its inception, the group has engaged itself with discussing global economic and financial developments and taking decisions for streamlined growth of global trade and economy. G-7 continues as an important forum for coordinating economic, security and energy policies. Its relevance, however, came under question particularly after the G-20 came into existence in 1999 as an international forum for governments and central bank governors from 19 countries, and the European Union. G-20 was upgraded to Head of State/Head of Government level in the wake of international economic and financial crisis in 2007/08. G-20 initially met twice a year but in recent years has been holding annual meetings. India participates regularly and actively in these deliberations. Prime Minister Modi will be participating in the next G-20 Summit at Osaka, Japan on 28-29th June, 2019.

The Indian Prime Minister’s participation in G-7 Summit will be followed by a bilateral visit to France.

Mr. Modi’s participation in the G-7 Summit, will go a long way in advancing India’s interests in its fight against terrorism emanating from across its western borders, as well as in protection of global environment and promoting a fair and balanced multilateral trading system.

Script: Amb. Ashok Sajjanhar, Former Indian Diplomat & President Institute Of Global Studies




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