PM Modi to attend G7 Summit in Canada: India's presence at key grouping sans membership explained

PM Modi to arrive in Canada for G7 Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the G7 Summit in Canada at the invitation of his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney. The G7 Summit is scheduled to be held in Kananaskis on June 16–17.

“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.

PM Modi’s visit is being closely watched globally, as it marks his first trip to Canada since diplomatic ties between the two countries were strained over the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023.

What is G7 and its role?

The G7 is an informal grouping of advanced democracies that meet annually to coordinate global economic policy and address other transnational issues.

It was formed in the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis. It began as a forum for leaders to coordinate economic policy.

This will be the 51st G7 summit meeting. The first took place in 1975 in Rambouillet, France. Initially, it was known as the G6 meeting, as Canada did not become a member until the following year. Russia joined the forum in 1998, making it the G8, but was effectively expelled in 2014, following its annexation of Crimea. Since then, the forum has been known as G7. According to Al Jazeera, the G7 represents 44 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP) but only 10 percent of the world’s population.

 Which countries are part of G7?

Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the US are the members of G7.

India is not part of the G7. However, it has been invited to the 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 the G7 Summit every year since 2019.

Why is India invited to the G7 Summit?

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, India plays a key role. Countries hosting these summits want India’s input for balanced global solutions.

India is also a key voice in the Global South. Inviting PM Modi ensures perspectives from the Global South are included — especially on issues like food security, energy access, climate justice, and pandemic resilience.

Ahead of PM Modi’s visit to G7 Summit, External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, said India had "the ability to work with different countries in a way without making any relationship exclusive".

"To the extent that that serves as a bridge, it's frankly a help that we do to international diplomacy at a time when, mostly what you see are difficult relationships and excessive tensions," he said.

India is also a leading member of BRICS -- a bloc of leading emerging economies that includes Russia and China. BRICS has growing economic clout and is increasingly seen as a G7 rival.

This will be PM Modi’s first meeting with Canadian PM Carney on the sidelines of the G-7 Summit in Kananaskis.

India-Canada relations have been strained since 2023 over allegations by then Trudeau government implicating ‘Indian agents’ in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and a Khalistani terrorist.