Will PM update his Canadian counterpart on India being third-largest economy: Congress takes dig at PM Modi

Jairam Ramesh criticizes PM Modi for not updating Canadian PM on India's third-largest economy status at G7 Summit.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (June 7, 2025), describing him as “Swayam Udghoshit Vishwaguru”, and asked whether during his meetings at the G7 Summit, he would update his Canadian counterpart, Mark Carney, on India being the third-largest economy.

Mr. Carney had, while justifying his invite to India for the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, later this year, said some countries should be at the table for the discussions at the summit.

“On May 24th, 2025, while addressing the media following the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by the PM, the CEO of the NITI Aayog had dramatically announced that while he was speaking, India had crossed Japan to become the world’s third-largest economy. Now the Canadian PM — a distinguished professional economist who has been the Governor of the Central Bank of Bank of Canada as well as of the Bank of England — says that India is the fifth largest economy in the world,” Mr. Ramesh said in a post on X.

“Perhaps, India’s first SUV — Swayam Udghoshit Vishwaguru — can update his Canadian counterpart when the two meet in a few days,” Mr. Ramesh said.

After inviting PM Modi to the G7 Summit, Mr. Carney said India is the fifth-largest economy and, effectively, the most populous country in the world and central to a number of supply chains and hence, it makes sense to invite the country to the summit.

PM Modi received the invite for the G7 Summit on Friday (June 6, 2025) and has agreed to participate in it. He has attended the previous five G7 meetings too. India is not a member of the G7, which comprises the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, France, Germany and Japan.