India, July 4 -- Within a span of three weeks, India would have straddled two worlds and two realities of the G7 and Brics groupings. The seamless progression of India as a systemically important economy, vital for global economic health and courted by all sides is a reality that has now come to be accepted as the new norm.

The forthcoming visit to Brazil by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi for the 17th Brics Summit will be his second successive visit to the western hemisphere in these weeks, but the contrast between the outings is striking. At the G7 Summit in Canada, India was on the outside, yet to be baptised as an equal. In the other, India is a founder and insider. One will be a State visit, embellished with the award of the count...