Modi set to visit UK for G7, Johnson likely to visit India

The UK has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the G7 summit to be held in Cornwall during June 11-13.  The world’s leading democracies, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the US and the European Union, will come together to address shared challenges, from beating COVID -19 and tackling climate change, to ensuring open trade, technological change and scientific discovery.“Coronavirus is doubtless the most destructive force we have seen for generations and the greatest test of the modern world order we have experienced. It is only right that we approach the challenge of building back better by uniting with a spirit of openness to create a better future,” said PM Boris Johnson. “As ‘pharmacy of the world’, India already supplies more than 50% of the world’s vaccines, and the UK and India have worked closely together throughout the pandemic”, the British statement said.The UK was the first P5 member to support a permanent UN Security Council seat for India and the first G7 member to invite India to a G7 Summit in 2005. As the current president of Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) forum and G20 president in 2023, “India will play a key role driving in multilateral cooperation helping to build back better around the world”, the statement added. Mr Johnson was invited as the chief to this year’s Republic Day celebrations but cancelled his visit to oversee Britain’s response to a surge in Covid-19 cases. He is likely to visit India ahead of the G7 summit.Along with India, Australia and South Korea have also been invited as chief guests which speaks of UK’s idea of multilateralism in the present day world. The G7 is the only forum where the world’s most influential and open societies and advanced economies are brought together for close-knit discussions. The special invite not only signifies the proximity in India-UK relations, but also provides a platform for the emerging democracies to discuss issues of concern and develop partnerships for future. (Palak Chhabra contributed inputs for this article)