Britain has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the high-profile G-7 summit there in June and indicated that Prime Minister Boris Johnson may visit India before the conclave. Johnson was supposed to be the chief guest at this year’s Republic Day but cancelled the visit due to the situation created in his country due to a new strain of coronavirus.

The summit, which has leading countries like the US, UK, Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the European Union as members, is likely to discuss the current raging pandemic, climate change and open trade.  Apart from India, Australia and South Korea are the other countries invited to take part in the G-7 summit as guests.  It is scheduled to take place in Cornwall.

Giving details of the invitation, an official statement by the British High Commission here on Sunday said, “Prime Minister Johnson will use the first in-person G7 summit in almost two years to ask leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to seize the opportunity to build back better from coronavirus, uniting to make the future fairer, greener and more prosperous.”

Terming India as the “pharmacy of the world,” while underlining the growing ties between the two countries, the statement said

India already supplies more than 50% of the world’s vaccines, and the UK and India have worked closely together throughout the pandemic. “Our Prime Ministers speak regularly and Prime Minister Johnson has said he will visit India ahead of the G7,” it said.

“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,” the statement quoted Johnson as saying.

The communique said British Prime Minister’s ambition is to use the G7 to intensify cooperation between the world’s democratic and technologically advanced nations. Between them the 10 leaders represent over 60% of the people living in democracies around the world.

The invitation to India, Australia and South Korea is testament to the UK’s commitment to ensuring multilateral institutions better reflect today’s world. The UK was the first P-5(permanent member) member to support a permanent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) seat for India and the first G-7 member to invite India to a G-7 Summit in 2005. As current Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) President and G-20 President in 2023, India will play a key role driving in multilateral cooperation helping to build back better around the world.

The UK will also host a number of meetings throughout the year between Government Ministers from the G7, both virtually and in different locations across the UK. These ministerial summits will cover economic, environmental, health, trade, technology, development, and foreign policy issues.