Monday, June 14, 2004
G8 and India
India's tentative Invitation to G8, Should we be eager to accept?
Aside from the fact that we tend to see it as the growing up of the Indian nation, I believe that we should weigh in multiple factors present in this option.
Let me state the facts first,
The countries that originally formed the G6 were France US Britain Germany Japan and Italy [1975]
Then Canada joined them [1976]
European Union (country? now is still believable but at 1977 ??) [1977]
and Russia started from [1994] and will take until 2006 to complete the procedure. (After they have exhausted all the necessary juice that can be extracted in terms of demonstrating the commitments to the forum and its views.)
The G8 is a kind of grouping of like minded nations that has a lot of things in common with a school with a school master and end of the term exams. See Here.
Some of these issues for assessments [
Political Security General
Arms control and nonproliferation
Indian nuclear explosion
Land mines
Regional Security
Balkans/Kosovo
Balkan reconstruction
Indonesian crisis
Human Rights/Democratization
Hong Kong, China, human rights
Conflict Prevention
Terrorism
Global Governance
Globalization
UN reform
G8 Governance:
G7/G8 process reforms
Russian participation
Other country/IO outreach
Civil society participation
] are too important for our countries (both India and China) to be trapped in conditions where we are caught between demonstrating commitment to the forum (Which will be demanded - see how long it took for Russia to become a member) and being true to our needs. We will need to demonstrate improvement in these issues to 'Pass' or be asked to give 'certain concessions' so that the others will look away.
We [India and China] along with Brazil were the three major countries that focussed the developing world's opinion, and thus formed a Team. of which only India and China are invited, So why not Brazil? That smacks of an effort to break up a threat than as Brazil not making the grade. (remember that Brazil is also a contender for the UN Security Council) (Brazil is South America's leading economic power and a regional leader with area slightly smaller than the US)
At the moment we have a friendly relation with China, Arab Countries and Palestine , And many of the issues which are before the council will require that we know-tow to the Founder-members interests (Under the threat of extending the time of joining [remember how the Russia was persuaded to give up its cooperation with India?] or failure at term exams to make the grade!!) These will be mostly against the policy which we have followed until now.
Look at the current members of the forum,
Of these eight (9??) how many countries are economic super powers in the world today? [The same with UN Security Council but at least that body has Veto powers, what does this forum have?], Is it the need of India and China to join this forum or Is it the need of this forum to include India and China so that the forum can retain and make a show of its exalted status?
Do we gain any thing at all? other than the status that comes with being a member of an exclusive club?
When we are in the G15 we are the leaders and are able coordinate our peer nations who have the same view points and needs, but the moment we are in G8, we loose that prerogative, and instead we will be a minority, a lone nation that will be forced to give up on things that will matter most (They wont allow us to be full members until they have extracted the last pound of flesh that they can extract and even then there will always be a block of nations who will effectively put an end to any dream of making our issues heard or making our views felt.) (And think of the ignominy of failing to pass the grade on these assessments), and we will have the unpleasant duty of explaining the decisions of G8 to the developing world loosing our leadership there in that process. ¶ 9:18 PM
Aside from the fact that we tend to see it as the growing up of the Indian nation, I believe that we should weigh in multiple factors present in this option.
Let me state the facts first,
The countries that originally formed the G6 were France US Britain Germany Japan and Italy [1975]
Then Canada joined them [1976]
European Union (country? now is still believable but at 1977 ??) [1977]
and Russia started from [1994] and will take until 2006 to complete the procedure. (After they have exhausted all the necessary juice that can be extracted in terms of demonstrating the commitments to the forum and its views.)
The G8 is a kind of grouping of like minded nations that has a lot of things in common with a school with a school master and end of the term exams. See Here.
Some of these issues for assessments [
Political Security General
Arms control and nonproliferation
Indian nuclear explosion
Land mines
Regional Security
Balkans/Kosovo
Balkan reconstruction
Indonesian crisis
Human Rights/Democratization
Hong Kong, China, human rights
Conflict Prevention
Terrorism
Global Governance
Globalization
UN reform
G8 Governance:
G7/G8 process reforms
Russian participation
Other country/IO outreach
Civil society participation
] are too important for our countries (both India and China) to be trapped in conditions where we are caught between demonstrating commitment to the forum (Which will be demanded - see how long it took for Russia to become a member) and being true to our needs. We will need to demonstrate improvement in these issues to 'Pass' or be asked to give 'certain concessions' so that the others will look away.
We [India and China] along with Brazil were the three major countries that focussed the developing world's opinion, and thus formed a Team. of which only India and China are invited, So why not Brazil? That smacks of an effort to break up a threat than as Brazil not making the grade. (remember that Brazil is also a contender for the UN Security Council) (Brazil is South America's leading economic power and a regional leader with area slightly smaller than the US)
At the moment we have a friendly relation with China, Arab Countries and Palestine , And many of the issues which are before the council will require that we know-tow to the Founder-members interests (Under the threat of extending the time of joining [remember how the Russia was persuaded to give up its cooperation with India?] or failure at term exams to make the grade!!) These will be mostly against the policy which we have followed until now.
Look at the current members of the forum,
Of these eight (9??) how many countries are economic super powers in the world today? [The same with UN Security Council but at least that body has Veto powers, what does this forum have?], Is it the need of India and China to join this forum or Is it the need of this forum to include India and China so that the forum can retain and make a show of its exalted status?
Do we gain any thing at all? other than the status that comes with being a member of an exclusive club?
When we are in the G15 we are the leaders and are able coordinate our peer nations who have the same view points and needs, but the moment we are in G8, we loose that prerogative, and instead we will be a minority, a lone nation that will be forced to give up on things that will matter most (They wont allow us to be full members until they have extracted the last pound of flesh that they can extract and even then there will always be a block of nations who will effectively put an end to any dream of making our issues heard or making our views felt.) (And think of the ignominy of failing to pass the grade on these assessments), and we will have the unpleasant duty of explaining the decisions of G8 to the developing world loosing our leadership there in that process. ¶ 9:18 PM
