G-7 Outreach To Help PM Clarify Anti-Terror Stand

India is the only founding member of the now 10-nation Brics grouping that enjoys close and strategic ties with almost all the G-7 nations. Given India’s participation at the G-7 Summit for the seventh consecutive year, the growing rivalry between the G-7, viewed as the collective voice of the West, and the Brics group of nations that include China and Russia is also being watched closely, as Mr Modi is expected to attend the Rio summit as a member nation.

At the G-7 summit, Mr Modi is expected to reiterate India’s anti-terror policy, right to self-defence and retaliation against terrorists, as well as refusal to accept nuclear blackmail by Pakistan.

The G-7 summit will take place from June 15 to 17 in Canada's Kananaskis. The Prime Minister, as a special invitee, will attend the outreach session towards the end of the summit, where he is expected to convey India’s message. With US President Donald Trump, who repeatedly claimed to have brokered the “ceasefire” between India and Pakistan last month despite India’s refutation, set to attend the G-7 summit, the interactions between Mr Modi and Mr Trump will be keenly watched.

The invitation to Mr Modi is being seen as an attempt by the G-7 grouping to continue its close engagement with India at the highest levels, with free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations by India ongoing with both the United States and the European Union (EU), which is not only represented directly at the G-7 but also through three member nations — France, Germany and Italy.

India has already clinched an FTA with Britain, also a member of the G7. The grouping comprises seven of the “largest” advanced economies in the world — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, apart from the European Union (EU).

Meanwhile, in another snub for the pro-Khalistan lobby in Canada, Canadian Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre backed the invite for Mr Modi on the grounds that India is the world's fastest-growing major economy and that Canada needs to sell its natural gas and other products to the vast Indian market.

Backing Canada’s PM Mark Carney's G-7 invitation to India, Mr Poilievre said, “India has been at the last six G-7 conferences. It's one of the biggest and fastest-growing economies in the world. We need to sell our natural gas, our civilian nuclear power technology and other resource projects to India. And we need to work with India and other countries on trade and security. So we, as Conservatives, understand that the invitation is necessary and that we want to see the government work on addressing security issues at the same time...”

India and Canada are also expected to take steps eventually to reinstate high commissioners in both nations after ties plummeted during the tenure of former PM Justin Trudeau.

New Delhi will be keenly watching developments after open threats issued by pro-Khalistan groups to “ambush” and stage protests against Mr Modi’s visit.
With Mr Modi also expected to attend the Brics summit next month in Brazil, comparisons between the two summits will also be made, especially as the West closely watches the moves of China and Russia within the rapidly expanding Brics grouping, especially amid Moscow’s attempts to improve ties between New Delhi and Beijing through trilateral cooperation.

Both Moscow and Beijing have also been in the forefront for the expansion of Brics as a powerful counterweight to the G-7. The 10-nation BRICS now comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, along with new members Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Indonesia.

Saudi Arabia is also associated with the grouping in some capacity, though it has not signalled an intention to become a full-fledged member just as yet.