The 2025 G7 Summit is right around the corner. This year, set in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada marks the 50th anniversary of the grouping. The G7 was formed in 1975 by the United States, France, Italy, Japan, the UK, and West Germany to tackle economic crises like inflation and the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil shock. Canada joined in 1976, and the European Union began participating in 1981. Unlike NATO, the G7 is not a treaty-based organisation, it does not have a formal charter or secretariat. Its rotating presidency sets the annual agenda, with national leaders meeting alongside ministers and envoys. Made up of advanced democracies, the G7 focuses on global economic and political issues, with members collectively accounting for about 43% of global GDP today.
What are the main goals of the 2025 G7 Summit in Canada?
This year, under Canada’s presidency, the G7 will focus on three core priorities: strengthening global security, accelerating the energy and digital transition, and forging future-oriented partnerships. The agenda includes addressing armed conflicts—particularly the war in Ukraine, countering foreign interference and transnational crime, and improving emergency responses to wildfires. On the economic and technological front, Canada will push for more resilient supply chains for critical minerals, enhanced energy security through both clean and conventional sources, and responsible innovation in artificial intelligence and quantum technologies. Finally, Canada aims to position the G7 as a platform for global coalition-building, by mobilising private investment in infrastructure, expanding access to high-quality jobs, and deepening engagement with key non-G7 partners such as India, South Africa, and Australia.
Trump’s Return: A Test for Transatlantic Unity
This year also marks the return of Donald Trump to the multilateral stage. After a divisive presidency from 2017 to 2021 and an equally contentious re-election in 2024, Trump’s presence at the G7 evokes the memory of a previous summit marked by disruption and dissent.
During his last G7 appearance in 2018, Trump famously withdrew U.S. support from the joint communiqué minutes after leaving the summit. He publicly clashed with the then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The President of the United States of America accused Canada of being “very dishonest & weak,” triggering one of the lowest diplomatic points in modern U.S.-Canada relations. His combative tone and disdain for multilateralism appalled America’s traditional European allies. Donald Trump’s relationship with European leaders has been tumultuous with a thinly veiled contempt. His preference for bilateralism and nationalist posturing stands in stark contrast to the G7’s foundations in postwar multilateral cooperation. Throughout his first presidency, Trump repeatedly accused Europe of exploiting U.S. generosity on trade, defense, and diplomacy.
Trump’s imposition of tariffs on European steel and aluminum, coupled with threats against the auto sector, alienated major EU economies. Canada, too, was not spared; Trump levied steel tariffs on Ottawa and demanded sweeping concessions during the renegotiation of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), leading to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
NATO remains another sticking point. His suggestion that the U.S. might not honor Article 5, the cornerstone of NATO’s mutual defense pact has sent shockwaves through Brussels and Berlin. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has publicly voiced concern over Trump’s ambivalence toward NATO and Ukraine, “My absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the USA”, will likely seek clarity in Kananaskis.
The war in Ukraine is also a point of concern. Europe continues to champion Kyiv’s resistance against Russian aggression but Trump has repeatedly questioned the value of American aid. His claim that he could end the war “in 24 hours” by brokering a deal favorable to Moscow has unnerved European leaders who see the conflict as existential to Europe’s security architecture. The G7 will test the transatlantic alliance’s ability to withstand another Trump term and whether the G7, long a symbol of liberal consensus, can accommodate his unapologetically transactional worldview.
Why does India matter in the G7 Summit?
In contrast to the unpredictability Trump brings, India’s participation in this year’s G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, reaffirms its growing influence in global governance conversations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join fellow leaders from Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, Australia, and Ukraine—highlighting the G7’s continued outreach to the Global South.
India is not a formal member of the G7, which consists of seven advanced economies, but it has been regularly invited as a guest. While India engaged with the G8 summits intermittently before Russia’s suspension in 2014, its consistent participation began in 2019 when France hosted the summit in Biarritz. India’s involvement in the recent years, reinforces its role as a key geopolitical player in the Indo-Pacific, with shared democratic values with the G7 members. Its participation brings important perspectives from the Global South and emerging economies, making it a crucial partner in addressing global challenges.
Speculation around India’s participation had emerged in light of ongoing tensions between Ottawa and New Delhi following allegations made by former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2023. Trudeau had claimed Indian involvement in the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated terrorist by India—a charge New Delhi strongly rejected as “absurd and motivated.” While diplomatic channels remain strained, both countries have continued to engage on multilateral platforms. India’s presence in Kananaskis signals the broader priority both sides place on maintaining global dialogue amid differences.
India’s participation also reflects the G7’s intent to remain relevant in a multipolar world. As countries like Brazil and South Africa push for institutional reform and fairer climate financing, India brings both economic weight and strategic insight to the table. The summit offers an opportunity to reaffirm shared commitments on global development, technology, and security—even as complex bilateral dynamics persist behind closed doors.
