On 4th May, 2021, Foreign Ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) countries (USA, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan) held a meeting in London, UK.
India is not a G7 member but was invited by Britain to this summit, along with Australia, South Africa and South Korea.
Outcomes
US pledged “robust cooperation” with Britain in pressuring China over the Xinjiang region, where Beijing’s incarceration of one million Uighurs and other Muslims has been labelled genocide by Washington, and over a clampdown against civil rights in Hong Kong.
The countries also called for finding constructive ways to work with China in a sensible and positive manner where that’s possible — including on climate change.
About G-7 Group
It is a group of elite advanced economies formed as a response to the embargo imposed by OAPEC (Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries) on the United States, Japan, Canada and Netherlands lead for causing the 1973 oil crisis.
It is an informal group of seven countries - US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Japan.
The G-7 was formerly referred to as the G-8 until Russia was suspended from the group in 2014 after illegally annexing Crimea.
It does not have a formal constitution or a fixed headquarters. The decisions taken by leaders during annual summits are non-binding.
Together the member countries represent 40% of global GDP and 10% of the world’s population.
Unlike other bodies such as NATO, the G7 has no legal existence, permanent secretariat or official members.
It also has no binding impact on policy and all decisions and commitments made at G7 meetings need to be ratified independently by governing bodies of member states.
Significance of India’s Inclusion in G7
India’s Inclusion in G7 will magnify India’s voices in International organizations, and it will strengthen the Indian campaign for its candidature in the UN Security Council.
For India, a seat in an extended G7 will be valuable in the context of escalating border tensions with China.
It will boost security cooperation with member countries in Indo-Pacific, particularly the Indian Ocean.
Further, India’s inclusion could turn out to be a useful platform for India to further intensify its links with these countries to revive its economic growth after the COVID-19 pandemic and lessen economic dependence on China.
