India participates as partner country in G7 Foreign Ministers meeting in France

Key facts

• External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar represented India at the Group of 7 (G7) foreign ministers' meeting held at Abbaye des-Vaux-de-Cernay, France.
• France, the current chair of the G7, invited India, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Brazil to attend the meeting as partner countries.
• The EAM addressed the concerns of the Global South regarding energy challenges, fertiliser supplies, food security, and the cascading fallout of the West Asian conflict.
• India highlighted the urgent need for United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reforms, streamlining peacekeeping operations, and strengthening humanitarian supply chains.
• The EAM emphasised the importance of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the utility of India's free trade agreements with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the United Kingdom (UK), and the European Union (EU).
• India and France agreed to continue close coordination to jointly work towards ensuring the security of the Strait of Hormuz.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed his participation in the annual G7 summit scheduled to take place in Evian, France, from 15 June to 17 June.
• The EAM held bilateral talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
• Additional meetings were held with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Japan Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira.
• The G7 comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the United States (US), and the EU.
• The meeting acknowledged India's current role as the holder of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) presidency.