PM Narendra Modi arrived at Hiroshima to attend the G7 summit. He intends to voice the concerns of Global South at the summit, and his consequent engagements in Papua New Guinea as well as Australia.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Hiroshima on Friday evening to attend the G7 summit being hosted by Japan. Notably, PM Modi will attend the summit on the special invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, even though India is not a member of the Group of Seven. PM Kishida has repeatedly asserted his intention to engage the Global South in geopolitical engagements. India will ensure that the concerns of the Global South nations are represented to the world through the medium of G7 summit, said PM Modi before departing for Japan.
PM Modi’s advocacy for Global South across platforms
PM Modi’s advocacy for the Global South nations is not newfound. In December 2022, India took over the presidency of the G20 from Indonesia. Soon after that, India hosted the inaugural online summit Voice of Global South participated by 125 countries. The central concerns expressed there corresponded to a call for reform of international bodies and a more inclusive, balanced representation of the Global South nations.
According to a recent media source, PM Modi asserted that India’s interest as a member of the Global South in multinational platforms such as the G7 is to bridge the diverse voices and work towards a constructive agenda. PM Modi also emphasised how the modes of global governance institutions are motivated by outdated mindsets.
Taking a jibe at the United Nations, PM Modi claimed that credibility of organisations such as UN Security Council will always remain under scrutiny and subject to questions if it continues to refuse representation to India, world’s largest democracy, along with entire continents like Africa and South America. The PM essentially called for a reorientation in representational policies of such multinational institutions and forums.
India’s Stance on Russia-Ukraine war
India has steadfastly maintained a neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine war, never explicitly condemning Russia’s aggression despite repeated calls by Western powers such as the US and UK. Despite a great sense of synergy and commonality between the goals of India and G7, this Russia-Ukraine war can prove to be point of conflict. On the possibility of India mediation between Russia and Ukraine, PM Modi reiterated India’s call for peace, and highlighted India’s continued communication with both the nations.
Membership in Quad and SCO
PM Modi also commented on India’s participation in multiple security alliances. India is a member of Quad as well as Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. While the Quad has often been criticised by China for their anti-China views, the SCO plays a vital role when it comes to India’s engagement with the Central Asian region. PM Modi asserted that India is not bound to any particular security alliance(s). Instead, it engages with several like-minded nations across the globe as needed to secure India’s national interests.
Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation
From Japan, PM Modi will fly to Port Moresby to attend the Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation hosted jointly with Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape. The forum is a multinational platform developed to boost cooperation and engagement between India and 14 Pacific Island nations. This forum is also an attempt to mobilise the Global South nations and increase coordination amongst them. This forum was proposed by PM Modi in 2014, highlighting his commitment to the Global South.
