India at G7: From guest to strategic partner, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending the G7 summit in France in June 2026.
• India's association with the G7 (formerly G8) began in 2003 with PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's attendance.
• India has been invited to the G7 summit over a dozen times, signifying its growing global importance.
• The G7's share of global GDP has decreased to approximately 40%, yet it maintains influence in advanced technologies, defence, green innovation, cyber, and space domains.
• The Indo-Mediterranean concept, a geostrategic framework connecting the Indian Ocean with Europe, is gaining prominence.
• India concluded a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union in January 2026.

G7.png

Detailed Insights:

• The G6 was formed in 1975, becoming the G7 in 1976 with Canada's inclusion, and the G8 in 1998 when Russia joined.
• Russia was expelled in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea, reverting the group to the G7.
• India's technological advancements and large pool of skilled manpower enhance its appeal to the G7 nations.
• Under PM Modi's leadership, India has emerged as a significant voice for the Global South.
• India maintains strategic agreements with all seven G7 member countries.
• The consistent presence of the European Union at the summit, alongside four individual European powers, makes it a Europe-dominated forum.
• India-Europe relations have seen substantial growth in the past decade, driven by India's recalibrated foreign policy.
• The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) was launched in September 2023 during India's G20 presidency.
• The Indo-Mediterranean concept revives historical commercial and cultural ties between India, the Mediterranean, and the Arab worlds.
• India seeks European capital and technology to achieve atmanirbharta (self-reliance) and support massive industrialization for youth employment.
• The Indo-Mediterranean vision, unlike China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), emphasizes a role for every participating nation and could lead to an Indo-Atlantic strategic space.

Key Concepts Involved:

• G7: An intergovernmental political forum comprising seven major advanced economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
• Global South: A term referring to countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, often characterized by developing economies and shared historical experiences.
• Indo-Mediterranean: An evolving geostrategic framework that aims to connect the Indian Ocean region with Europe through trade, technology, energy, data, and ideas.
• IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor): A multinational infrastructure project launched in 2023 to enhance connectivity and economic integration between Asia, the Persian Gulf, and Europe.
• Atmanirbharta: India's policy of self-reliance, focusing on domestic production and reducing dependence on imports, particularly in critical and frontier technologies.