7 to eleven: On India and G-7

Dismissing the current configuration of the “Group of 7” or G-7 of the world’s most established nations as “outdated”, U.S. President Donald Trump revealed over the weekend that he want to broaden it to a G-11, by including India, Russia, South Korea and Australia. He followed that up with invitations to their leaders, consisting of Prime Minister Modi, to attend the G-7 summit in the U.S. later on this year. The news was welcomed by Mr. Modi, who commended Mr. Trump for his “creative and far-sighted” decision to broaden the format of the grouping to keep up with the new truths of the “post-COVID world”. Australia and South Korea have also invited the invite, while Russia, that lost its subscription of the grouping in 2014 over its addition of Crimea, said President Putin would go to “if treated as an equal”. Significant by its lack in the proposed grouping is China, which had previously, along with India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, been welcomed routinely to G-8 tops as an outreach by the developed world to the five emerging economies (called the G-8 5). U.S.-China stress, particularly over coronavirus concerns, clearly played a part in Mr. Trump’s choice to leave Chinese President Xi Jinping off his top visitor list. A White Ho