GERMANY SET TO INVITE INDIA FOR G7 SUMMIT

Contrary to what was reported in some sections of the international media, Germany has communicated to India through diplomatic channels that New Delhi will be invited for the G7 Summit to be held from 26-28 June. There is no question of “snubbing” India as was reported in some sections of the press, sources familiar with the “communication” told The Daily Guardian.

“Soon, the German government will be extending a formal invitation to India for the Summit to be held at Schloss Elmau,” sources added. Germany is the chair of the Group of 7 nations (G7) for this year. In fact, there were reports about Germany considering not inviting India to the G7 Summit “as it abstained in the vote against Russia in the United Nations”.

According to sources, after the news went viral, some German diplomats reached out to senior government officials in New Delhi and Berlin denying the reports which claimed that the German government intended to snub India from the G7 summit due to its stand on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. “This is absolutely false and the government in Berlin dismissed it,” said the government sources.

Diplomats at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) believe that the US and its allies in Europe and NATO are under pressure after External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar gave a clear and blunt message to them soon after the India-US 2+2 Dialogue in Washington on Monday. Amid the West’s pressure on Russian oil buys, Jaishankar had said that India’s total purchases were less than what Europe was buying in one afternoon.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also did not speak much about the purchase of Russian oil after the EAM’s message. Sources said that Germany must have got the message more clearly as its continuing reliance on Russian energy imports is no secret. Rather, Berlin has come under criticism from countries, including Ukraine and Poland, for its reliance on Russia for energy needs. India has repeatedly argued that the purchase of Russian crude should not be “politicised”, especially when Europe is still buying energy from Moscow.

“With this being the case, Berlin has no basis whatsoever to question New Delhi’s dependence on Russia in terms of energy requirements,” an official said.

In addition to this, Germany cannot lose sight of the fact that India continues to be its important strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific. There is no denying New Delhi is a key player in the region. That India is a maritime powerhouse and a strong advocate for free and inclusive trade in the region is a fact that Berlin cannot ignore.