An Elite Club

Context: The G-7 needs to be more open and less exclusive in an increasingly interlinked world.

 

Two messages from 2021 G7 Summit - “Build Back Better.”

• “America is back”:
  • G-7 commitment to donate one billion coronavirus vaccines to poorer countries and to invest $12 trillion in a combined pandemic recovery plan depends on US commitments for a large part.
  • “Open Societies” for the G-7 outreach and invitation to “fellow democracies”: India, Australia, South Korea and South Africa are also considered as an extension of US’s stated commitment to convening a Democracy Summit.
• Consensus on countering China: Final G-7 communiqué holds no less than four direct references to China, each negative, including -
  • Criticising Beijing for its rights record in Xinjiang and democratic freedoms in Hong Kong.
  • Its “non-market policies and practices...” and concerns over its actions in the China Seas.
  • A demand for a transparent investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 virus.

Criticism against G7

• Differences and contradictions within the grouping.
• Major economies left out: Whether the grouping could claim its mantle as the world’s “richest” countries, when emerging economies, China and India, are not included.
• Narrow representation: On economic issues, the EU is a more representative unit than the individual European member countries.
• Anachronistic division: Premise of a group like G-7, that of an exclusive club of the “haves” or “the best vs the rest”, is outdated.

India’s role – A natural ally of G7

• India maintained its independent course, especially on political issues.
• Moderated approach towards China: G-7 outreach communiqués that included the guest countries did not make the same references to China as the main document.
• India voiced concerns about some clauses in the joint communiqué on Open Societies which condemned “rising authoritarianism”, net shutdowns, manipulation of information, and rights violations.