At G7 summit, India should help shape global frameworks
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Context
The upcoming Summit at Evian-les-Bains, France, will see India participating as an invitee. The summit's agenda focuses on economic security, artificial intelligence, energy transition, climate finance, and development, offering India a critical platform to advocate for the interests of the and shape emerging global frameworks.
UPSC Perspectives
International Relations
The (Group of Seven), comprising the world's major advanced economies, has evolved from a dominant economic steering group in the 1970s to a forum facing internal divisions over trade and climate policies. However, it remains a powerful standard-setting body. India's participation underscores its strategy of multi-alignment—engaging with advanced economies while preparing to host the Summit, representing emerging powers. India's unique position allows it to act as a bridge, articulating the concerns of developing nations (the ) regarding debt, financing gaps, and the need for reform in . By participating actively, India aims to influence the rules governing critical minerals, AI, and supply chains before they solidify into exclusionary practices.
Economy
A central theme of the summit is economic security and the risk of global economic fragmentation. Advanced economies are increasingly using protectionist measures and economic statecraft—such as sanctions, export controls, and forced trade—which contradict the free-trade principles they previously championed. India must advocate for supply chain resilience that broadens options rather than restricting them through exclusionary alliances. The focus on securing critical minerals (lithium, cobalt, etc.) is vital for advanced manufacturing and the green transition. India's goal is to integrate into these emerging mineral partnerships, reducing reliance on China and enhancing its own manufacturing capacity and economic security.
Environment & Ecology
The transition to clean energy is a major point of friction between developed and developing nations. The article highlights the inadequacy of the climate finance target agreed upon at (Baku, 2024)—$300 billion annually by 2035—which is largely delivered as loans rather than grants. India must reiterate the principle of (CBDR), arguing that developing countries require adequate resources and technology to meet climate goals without compromising their overriding development priorities. A significant concern is the 's (CBAM), a carbon tax on imports. India views as a disguised non-tariff trade barrier that penalizes developing countries whose industries are still fossil-fuel dependent due to a lack of affordable green technologies, arguing that climate goals should not be pursued through punitive economic measures.