Will voice aspirations of Global South at G7 summit: PM Modi

India's Prime Minister departed for a multi-country European tour: a bilateral visit to France (Nice), the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Sl...

What Happened

India's Prime Minister departed for a multi-country European tour: a bilateral visit to France (Nice), the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Slovakia (Bratislava, June 14) since its independence in 1993, and then attendance at the 52nd G7 Summit in Évian-les-Bains, France (June 15–17).
At the G7, India planned to voice the economic concerns of the Global South — particularly the consequences of the West Asia conflict, including the energy price crisis and disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Prime Minister met French President Macron in Nice before proceeding to Slovakia, where talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico focused on trade, defence, and renewable energy cooperation.
India's participation marks its 8th consecutive invitation to the G7, underlining what officials describe as India's growing global profile.
India-Slovakia bilateral trade crossed €1.6 billion in 2025, up from crossing the €1 billion mark for the first time in 2024.

Static Topic Bridges

The Strait of Hormuz: A Critical Energy Chokepoint

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is the world's most important oil transit chokepoint, through which the bulk of Middle Eastern oil exports pass.

At its narrowest point, the Strait is approximately 33 kilometres wide; the navigable shipping lanes used by oil tankers are only a few kilometres across.
In 2024, approximately 20 million barrels of oil per day transited the Strait — equivalent to roughly 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption and more than one-quarter of total global seaborne oil trade.
About one-fifth of global LNG trade also transits the Strait, primarily from Qatar.
Countries whose oil exports pass through the Strait include Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, Bahrain, and Iran.
Asian countries receive 89.2% of the crude oil and condensate transiting the waterway; China (37.7%), India, Japan, and South Korea are major recipients.
Iran closed the Strait in 2026 following military escalation, triggering a US naval blockade on April 13, 2026, and a global energy supply disruption.

Connection to this news: India, as one of the world's largest oil importers (>80% import-dependent for crude), is directly and acutely affected by any disruption to Strait of Hormuz transit — making this a core energy security concern India was expected to raise at the G7 on behalf of oil-importing developing nations.

India's Role as Voice of the Global South

The "Global South" is a geopolitical and economic category that broadly refers to countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Oceania that share histories of colonialism and are characterized by lower levels of industrialization and higher vulnerability to global economic shocks. India has increasingly positioned itself as the primary advocate of Global South interests in multilateral forums.

India hosted the first and second "Voice of Global South" summits in January 2023 and November 2023, bringing together over 120 developing countries.
At the G20 Summit hosted by India in 2023 (New Delhi), India secured the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent G20 member — a concrete Global South outcome.
BRICS — which India is a founding member of — has expanded its membership (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE joined in 2024) and now represents a significant share of global GDP and population.
India's advocacy at the G7 focuses on debt relief for developing nations, climate finance, energy access, and reform of international financial institutions (IMF/World Bank).
Global South countries now collectively hold approximately $31 trillion in public debt, growing twice as fast as in advanced nations, severely limiting policy space.

Connection to this news: India's role at the G7 as the voice of developing nations on the energy crisis from the Strait of Hormuz disruption is a direct expression of its Global South leadership strategy — a recurring UPSC Mains theme connecting India's foreign policy identity, multilateral diplomacy, and energy security.

India-Slovakia Relations and India's European Engagement

Slovakia (officially the Slovak Republic) gained independence on January 1, 1993, following the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia — an event known as the "Velvet Divorce." India established diplomatic relations with Slovakia in 1993.

Slovakia is a member of the European Union (since 2004) and NATO (since 2004), making it a key node in India's EU engagement strategy.
The visit to Slovakia marks the first ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister since Slovak independence in 1993 — a significant milestone in the bilateral relationship.
India-Slovakia bilateral trade: crossed €1 billion for the first time in 2024; reached €1.6 billion in 2025.
Slovakia has been a supplier of defence technologies to India since 1993.
Slovakia's PM Robert Fico and President Peter Pellegrini both engaged with the visiting delegation on areas including renewable energy and economic cooperation.
The visit comes in the context of India's broader push to diversify and deepen partnerships within the EU, distinct from its bilateral engagement with France and Germany.

Connection to this news: India's first-ever PM-level visit to Slovakia illustrates India's strategy of deepening ties with Central and Eastern European EU members — relevant to UPSC questions on India's EU policy, European political geography, and India's expanding diplomatic footprint.

India's Energy Import Dependence and Diversification Strategy

India is the world's third-largest oil consumer and imports more than 80% of its crude oil requirements, making it highly vulnerable to supply disruptions and price volatility from geopolitical crises in oil-producing regions.

India's major crude oil suppliers include Russia (the single largest supplier since 2022–23 due to discounted pricing), Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and the US.
The West Asia region accounts for a significant share of India's crude imports; any closure of the Strait of Hormuz directly threatens supply chains.
India has strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) at three locations — Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru, and Padur — with a combined capacity of approximately 5.33 million metric tonnes.
The Indian government has been pursuing energy diversification through long-term supply agreements, equity oil assets abroad (through ONGC Videsh), and accelerated renewable energy investments.
At OPEC+, India as a major consumer routinely calls for moderate oil pricing to prevent demand destruction in developing economies.

Connection to this news: India's intervention at the G7 on Strait of Hormuz freedom of navigation is not merely a geopolitical position — it is a direct economic self-interest argument: disruption means higher import bills, inflation, and fiscal pressure, particularly for Global South oil-importing nations.

Key Facts & Data

52nd G7 Summit: June 15–17, 2026, Évian-les-Bains, France (France holds the G7 Presidency in 2026).
India's consecutive G7 invitations: 8th since 2019.
Slovakia independence: January 1, 1993 (Velvet Divorce from Czechoslovakia).
India-Slovakia diplomatic relations established: 1993.
India-Slovakia trade: €1 billion (2024), €1.6 billion (2025).
Strait of Hormuz: ~33 km at narrowest; ~20 million barrels/day oil transit (20% of global consumption).
Iran closed Strait of Hormuz in 2026; US naval blockade imposed April 13, 2026.
India's crude oil import dependence: >80%.
India's SPR capacity: ~5.33 million metric tonnes (Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru, Padur).
Voice of Global South Summit 1: January 2023; Summit 2: November 2023 (both hosted by India).