New Delhi / Kananaskis, June 21, 2025:
India’s participation in the 2025 G7 Summit held in Kananaskis, Canada, marked a continuation of its annual invitations to the elite forum of major industrialised nations. Yet, behind the photo-ops and diplomatic pleasantries, experts say India’s standing in the world is growing increasingly tenuous and isolated, especially amid mounting global turbulence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who made a brief visit to the summit before returning early to Washington for bilateral talks, was absent from several key multilateral engagements on climate cooperation, AI governance, and Iran crisis diplomacy that dominated the summit discussions.

While India was present at the table, many observers pointed out that India’s voice was noticeably quiet, and its policy positions largely non-committal, revealing deep-rooted challenges in aligning with both Western democracies and the Global South.

Why India Feels Isolated Despite G7 Presence

In the post-pandemic world order, India has tried to maintain strategic autonomy, refusing to fully align with any one global bloc. While this may appear diplomatically prudent, analysts argue that it is increasingly being seen as indecisive or opportunistic, especially on issues where moral leadership is expected.

Some examples include:

• India’s reluctance to criticize Russia over the Ukraine war continues to raise eyebrows in Europe and the US.

• Muted stance on Iran’s nuclear escalation and the Israel-Iran conflict made India a bystander in discussions that required clear positions.

• Trade tensions with the EU have grown after failed negotiations over digital taxes, data localization, and carbon border taxes.

A senior European diplomat, speaking anonymously, said,

“India wants to be treated as a global power, but its silence on every major crisis only widens the credibility gap.”

The G7 Agenda: India on the Sidelines

The G7 2025 agenda was largely focused on:

• The Middle East crisis and preventing escalation between Iran and Israel.

• Global climate action financing, with the EU pushing for binding targets.

• Artificial Intelligence governance, led by Canada and the US.

• A post-war framework for Ukraine, including reconstruction and energy support.

India’s absence from key working group sessions on the first day and non-endorsement of the final communiqué clauses on Ukraine and Iran signaled that India still prefers strategic ambiguity over assertive multilateralism.

While this may be consistent with India’s traditional non-alignment posture, in the current high-stakes global environment, fence-sitting is seen more as weakness than neutrality, analysts argue.

Domestic Diplomacy vs. Global Relevance

India’s foreign policy under PM Modi has been domestically popular, leveraging slogans like "Vishwaguru" (world teacher) and showcasing global stage appearances. However, on the ground, the gap between optics and outcomes is growing.

• India’s bilateral relations with China remain frozen post-Galwan.

• Relations with Canada deteriorated further after the G7, with fresh visa restrictions and trade slowdowns.

• Despite a strong US partnership, Washington remains skeptical of India’s follow-through on commitments, especially regarding technology and defense cooperation.

• African and South American nations, once vocal supporters of India’s global aspirations, are turning increasingly toward China for infrastructure, trade, and military partnerships.

Strategic Isolation: A New Pattern?

India has traditionally occupied a unique position as a bridge between the Global North and South, but this balance is now harder to maintain. The QUAD remains underwhelming in its delivery. BRICS is fracturing, and India’s leadership in the Global South summit in January 2024 failed to gain any traction beyond speeches.

With increasingly polarized global power centers—China-Russia-Iran on one side and US-EU-Japan on the other—India’s insistence on a third way appears less credible unless backed by institutional leadership and sustained diplomatic effort.

Conclusion: At a Crossroads

India’s G7 presence, though symbolically important, has underscored a troubling truth: mere attendance does not translate to influence. As the global order becomes more transactional and fragmented, India must decide whether it wants to remain a symbolic participant or evolve into a reliable stakeholder.

Without coherent foreign policy articulation, clarity on global crises, and willingness to shoulder shared burdens, India risks becoming a spectator in shaping the 21st-century global order—present, but increasingly peripheral.

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