Climate change, the Amazon fires, Iran and trade- these are the topics that are most likely to headline the agenda of the G-7 summit taking place in Biarritz, France, from the 25th of August. Apart from the G-7 countries, which pride themselves as seven of the wealthiest and most advanced nations in the world, this year’s summit will include representatives of the European Union, China, India, Mexico, and Brazil, as well as leaders of important international organisations like the IMF, World Bank and United Nations.
The summit is bound to be a divisive one- with global leaders currently being at odds on several of the issues likely to be discussed. The bitterness between US President Donald Trump and European leaders from last year’s summit is still alive. The summit has sparked controversy already- tensions can be seen in President Trump’s recent statements about how Russia should also be invited to the G-7, a sentiment that European leaders are not fond of hearing after Russia’s invasion of Crimea.
However, Russia or trade are not the only topics being discussed at the summit which will provoke conflict. There lies an elephant which haunts India wherever it goes, yet most of the international community hesitates to speak decisively on it, and that elephant in the room is India’s atrocities in Kashmir. Unluckily for India, it cannot evade discussing Kashmir on an international front every time. President Trump has indicated, in at least three recent statements, that the situation in Indian-Occupied Kashmir (IOK) and resultant tensions between India and Pakistan will claim much of the conversation between him and Modi. French President Macron has also expressed concern at the situation, with a French official stating that IOK would be a topic of discussion between him and Modi when they meet in France.
While this is positive news, it is unlikely that anything concrete will be achieved apart from India being grilled slightly by the international community. The G-7 summit has been criticised in past years for being ineffectual in finding solutions to global problems, and has been called an “artefact of a bygone era”. Thus, while it might be satisfying to finally see India face up to its crimes, we should not expect any impactful change.