Right then. As the machinery of international diplomacy grinds on, often with a predictable hum, one finds oneself occasionally confronted by a silence, a gap in the expected proceedings that speaks with a volume far exceeding any pronouncements. We are, I believe, standing before such a moment as we consider the forthcoming G7 summit, scheduled for this June in the Canadian capital, Ottawa. My attention, and indeed that of many observers of global affairs, is drawn to a rather conspicuous, and frankly unsettling, absence from the anticipated guest list. For the first time in a significant number of years, it appears the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi, will not be gracing the event with his presence.

And look, this isn’t just some small thing you can brush aside, like a little note scribbled in the margins of a history book about these big summits. The G7 – yeah, okay, it’s got its critics and it’s not perfect, but it still means something, doesn’t it? It’s a pretty powerful symbol when you get these big, economically advanced democracies sitting around the same table. And let me tell you, those ‘plus one’ invitations they send out? People who follow this stuff, they watch who gets those like a hawk. It’s a real tell-tale sign, you know? It gives you a proper sense of which way the wind’s blowing in global politics, who’s considered a key player, and who’s in with whom.

So, from what we’re hearing, the guest list is already taking shape. Invitations have definitely gone out, and we know they’ve been accepted by a real mix of countries. You’ve got South Africa – obviously a crucial voice coming from the African continent. Then there’s Ukraine, and honestly, their situation is right at the heart of every major global discussion at the moment, so no surprise there. And Australia, a really reliable partner down in the Indo-Pacific. So, you see, the expected, or at least the very understandable, names are already on that........

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