Daily Mains Question – GS 2 – 27th June 2025
- TPP
- Jun 27
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 28
Welcome to your daily Mains Model Answer — crafted to combine geopolitical insight with strategic foresight, as demanded in GS Paper 2. Today’s answer unpacks the evolution of the Group of Seven (G7) and explores the strategic significance of India’s invitation to the 2025 Canada Summit — a moment that reflects the shifting balance of global power and the increasing relevance of emerging economies in global governance.
This topic aligns closely with GS Paper 2 under the theme “International Relations”, particularly within the subdomain of bilateral, regional, and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. Understanding the transformation of the G7, and India’s evolving role within such high-level platforms, is crucial not only for analyzing contemporary diplomacy but also for anticipating future challenges and opportunities in a multipolar world.
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QUESTION
What is the G7? What have been its key developments over time? Discuss the strategic significance of inviting India to the 2025 Canada summit.
Answer: The Group of Seven (G7) was established in the aftermath of the 1973 energy crisis as a forum for economic and financial cooperation among the world’s advanced economies. The first G7 summit was held in 1975 at Rambouillet, France, involving leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and later, Canada.
Initially focused on international economic policy, the G7 evolved in the 1980s to address foreign policy, security, environmental challenges, and global health. Despite not being a treaty-based body, it remains a crucial platform for shaping global norms and cooperative action among the West's major democratic powers.
Key Developments in G7 Over Time
Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Response (1997)The G7 pledged $300 million to help mitigate the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe in Ukraine, marking a major instance of coordinated humanitarian and environmental aid.
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (2002)In response to global health crises, G7 leaders created the Global Fund, a unique public-private health financing institution. Since its inception, it has disbursed over $45 billion, saving millions of lives.
Global Apollo Programme (2015)Launched during the 2015 G7 summit, the UK-initiated Global Apollo Programme aimed to accelerate clean energy innovation. While initially lacking momentum, it gained traction when G7 countries began financing its objectives focused on renewable energy R&D.
Recent Focus Areas
Climate change and wildfires
Critical minerals and energy transition
Geopolitical tensions such as the Russia-Ukraine war and Iran-Israel conflict
Technological standards and economic security
Strategic Significance of Inviting India to the 2025 Canada Summit
India’s invitation to the 2025 G7 Summit, to be held in Canada under the chairmanship of PM Mark Carney, is geopolitically significant and strategically timed.
1. Recognition of India’s Growing Economic and Global Role
India has emerged as the 5th largest economy in the world, overtaking the UK, with a GDP of approximately $3.7 trillion (2024 figures).
It represents a major share of global growth and plays an active role in trade, climate, digital regulation, and technology partnerships.
2. Multi-Alignment and Strategic Autonomy
India’s foreign policy doctrine is grounded in strategic autonomy and multi-alignment, allowing it to engage simultaneously with multiple blocs.
As a key voice from the Global South, India brings a balanced and pluralistic perspective on issues like climate justice, digital sovereignty, and economic equity.
3. Global Governance Reform and Representation
India’s participation reflects efforts to broaden the G7’s influence and address criticisms of it being outdated due to exclusion of major economies like India and China.
Think tanks have long advocated for India’s membership or permanent observer status to modernize the G7’s structure and amplify global legitimacy.
4. Diplomatic Recalibration: Canada-India Relations
The invitation marks a thaw in diplomatic tensions following allegations in 2023 by then PM Justin Trudeau, accusing India of involvement in the killing of a Canadian Sikh separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Current Canadian PM Carney emphasized continuing law enforcement dialogue and a non-confrontational approach, underscoring realpolitik over rhetoric.
5. Shifting Alliances and a Divided Global Order
With global geopolitics in flux—Russia’s war in Ukraine, US-China rivalry, Middle East escalation—India’s presence helps the G7 bridge East-West and North-South divides.
India also serves as a counterbalance to China without being an ideological extension of Western powers.
Recent G7 Summit Context (2025)
The 2025 Summit is being held amid:
Middle East escalation following Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities (June 2025)
Continued war in Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attending
Trump’s re-election, bringing renewed unpredictability to the summit, prompting Canada to “Trump-proof” the event with six short joint statements instead of a single communiqué
Invitees this year include India, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, and Ukraine, alongside the head of NATO
Conclusion
The G7, while historically significant, faces challenges to its relevance and representativeness in today’s multipolar world. Inviting India to the 2025 Canada summit is a strategic move to modernize its engagement, enhance legitimacy, and foster inclusive dialogue on global issues.
While full membership for India remains contentious—due to factors like lower GDP per capita—its growing global influence, economic might, and diplomatic flexibility make it a pivotal player in shaping a more representative and effective international order.
Way Forward
Institutionalizing India’s regular participation in G7 deliberations
Reforming global governance frameworks (including UNSC and Bretton Woods institutions) to reflect 21st-century realities
Leveraging India’s position to bridge North-South divides and promote a rules-based multilateral order
You might like this: Bonn Climate Talks 2025
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