British Prime Minister Tony Blair wants India, along with four other developing countries, to be included in G8 for securing multilateral deals on climate change, trade and a common line on Iran.
Blair, in an interview to The Guardian, said he will press for the extension of G8 to G13 by including India, China, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico in the summit at St Petersburg on July 15.
With India and Brazil playing a key role in the trade talks, the first fruits of closer engagement could be a breakthrough on Monday in the stalled global trade talks, he said.
He also pointed out that the push for a successor to the Kyoto Treaty on climatic change would be enhanced by the inclusion of these five leading developing countries.
"There is no way we can deal with climate change unless we get an agreement that binds in the United States, China and India," Blair said.
"We have got to get an agreement with a binding framework -- of that I am in no doubt at all. There is no point in thinking Congress is going to enter a binding commitment to change the structure of the US economy without China and India being part of the deal," he said.
Calling Iran a "test case for new multilateralism" he said, "If we cannot come together and agree a common line on Iran, which is a global threat, it is damaging."
Leaders of these developing nations are also attending the summit for an outreach session.
