Italy Backs Call For Inclusive Multilateralism Following Trump’s Offer To Expand G-7 To Include India

In a positive development, Italy has backed the United States (US) President Donald Trump's push for expanding the G-7 grouping and has batted for a regime of inclusive multilateralism over an exclusive club, reports Economic Times.

The endorsement comes days after President Trump had launched an initiative to include India, Russia, South Korea, and Australia into an expanded G-7 format.

Italian Ambassador to India Vincenzo de Luca asserted, "Italy believes in all forms of dialogue that facilitate economic coordination and new sustainable globalisation. There is a world that is changing and any proposal that goes in the direction of intercepting this change will be considered."

Ambassador de Luca also underscored that Italy which is set to host the G-20 summit in 2021 wishes to coordinate with India to shape a new agenda to address global challenges arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic recession and the climate change conundrum.

It should be noted India was earlier supposed to hold the summit in 2021, and Italy in the following year. However, following India's request, the two nations swapped their discretions as India underscored its desire to host the G-20 on the occasion of India's 75th year of Independence in 2022.