Explained: Why Is PM Modi Attending G7 Summit In Canada If India Is Not A Member?

News18

6 hours ago

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While India is not a permanent member of the G7 nations, the country has been invited to attend the summit several times over the years, starting 2003
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will land in Canada on June 16 to attend the G7 Summit after he was invited by Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney. PM Modi will travel to Kananaskis in Canada on June 16 and 17 to participate in the G7 Summit.
'The Summit will provide space for the exchange of views on pressing global issues and the priorities of the Global South. I also look forward to engaging with leaders from partner countries," PM Modi said in a statement.
While India is not a permanent member of the G7 nations, the country has been invited to attend the summit several times over the years, starting 2003. India, the country with the biggest population and the fifth largest economy in the world, has attended G7 summits in the past as an 'outreach partner", a special invitee, despite not being a formal member.
What is G7 and Who are the members?
G7 comprises Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. The Group of Seven, is an informal forum of seven of the world's most advanced and industrialised democracies. It was formed in the 1970s to coordinate global economic policy, but over the years, its scope has widened to include climate change, security, development, and technology.
While it started off as G6 in 1975, it became G7 in 1976 with Canada joining as a member. It became G8 in 1997 when Russia joined. However, Russia was suspended in 2014 after annexing Crimea.
As part of the summit, leaders hold closed-door discussions on issues like the economy, climate change, global health, conflicts, and AI. They negotiate joint declarations, known as communiqués, which summarise their shared commitments.
Each year, one member country hosts the G7 summit, setting the agenda and inviting guests, including countries like India, Brazil, South Africa, and Australia.
How Many Times Has India Been Invited to G7 Summit?
India has now been invited to the G-7 Summit more than ten times. The first invite to India came in 2003 when the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee attended the event in France as a special guest. From 2005 to 2009, then PM Manmohan Singh participated annually in the Summit.
PM Modi has attended G7 Summit every year since 2019. PM Modi was invited to France (2019), the US (2020, though that summit was cancelled), the UK (2021, virtual), Germany (2022), Japan (2023), and Canada (2025).
Why Is India Invited When It's Not A Permanent Member?
India is a major global player and a key voice in the Global South. India is the world's 5th largest economy and a key pillar in global supply chains, especially for critical minerals, climate initiatives, and digital transformation. Countries hosting these summits want India's input for balanced global solutions.
The G7 outreach also aims to bridge representation gaps. Inviting PM Modi ensures perspectives from the Global South are included — especially on issues like food security, energy access, climate justice, and pandemic resilience.
'We have been an outreach country in the G7 for many years, and I think it brings benefits to the G7," External Affairs Minister told AFP in Paris. 'There are very strong feelings in the Global South about the inequities of the international order, the desire to change it, and we are very much part of that," he said, adding, 'It is important for us to organise ourselves and make our presence felt."
Canada's PM Mark Carney has highlighted that inviting Modi 'made sense" — it supports rebuilding ties, exploring cooperation on intelligence sharing and trade corridors (like IMEC), and reasserts mutual strategic importance.
India has regularly attended G7 summits since 2019, participating in outreach sessions as a special guest—especially on climate, digital transformation, biodiversity, and health.
How Is It Important For India-Canada Relations?
This will be PM Modi's first meeting with Canadian PM Carney on the sidelines of the G-7 Summit in Kananaskis. The External Affairs Ministry sees this meeting as an opportunity to reset India-Canada relations, which are based on mutual respect, shared interests, and consideration for each other's concerns. Notably, this will be PM Modi's first visit to Canada in a decade.
India-Canada relations were strained when former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged in September 2023 that Indian agents were involved in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India strongly denied the allegation, calling it 'absurd," and counter-accused Canada of harbouring separatist and radical elements that threatened Indian diplomats.
The Modi-Carney meeting is a crucial step towards mending the strained relationship, which had reached a historic low over the past year, marked by diplomatic expulsions and downgraded ties.
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First Published:
June 16, 2025, 13:13 IST