External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday travelled to France for the G7 foreign ministers' meeting, where the West Asia crisis will be discussed with a focus on coordinating efforts to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz remains open for international shipping. India is not a G7 member; it has been invited as a partner country by France, the current chair of the powerful bloc.
Top diplomats from the US, Canada, Germany, Italy, France, Japan, and the UK will attend the meeting.
The external affairs minister will visit Abbaye des Vaux-de-Cernay in France on March 26 and 27 to participate in the G7 foreign ministers' meeting with partner countries, according to an official statement.
Jaishankar is also expected to hold bilateral discussions with his counterparts on the sidelines of the G7 meeting, an official statement said.
Besides India, France has invited Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Brazil. The ministers will deliberate on exploring different negotiation channels that could lead to de-escalation in the region and reopen maritime routes, the official said.
The foreign ministers will also discuss how to "tackle the nuclear and ballistic programme of Iran," the official noted.
Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, which handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).
West Asia has been a major source of India's energy procurement. In the last couple of weeks, India has made diplomatic efforts focused on ending the conflict in West Asia as soon as possible and ensuring the unimpeded flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Group of 7 (G7) brings together seven of the world's most advanced economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European Union is also a member of the bloc.
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