Is Trump planning Core-5 superclub with India as alternative to G7, sidelining Europe?

President Donald Trump is reported to be planning a ‘Core-5’ superclub of the US, Russia, China, India, and Japan and is mulling the new grouping of ‘major powers’ as a potential alternative to the G7 (Group of Seven), sidelining Europe, reported Politico, citing Defence One. The Core-5 club could become the most powerful bloc in history and redraw the geopolitical map forever. The reports gain credibility, as Trump had given hints of such a bold geopolitical experiment at the G7 Summit in June this year, suggesting that Russia and China should be part of the bloc. He even went on to claim that it was a “very big mistake” to remove Russia in 2014 after it annexed Crimea. Defence One said the proposal was included in the longer version of the US’s National Security Strategy, but the White House has denied the existence of any unpublished document.

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At the G7 Summit, Trump said, “You wouldn’t have a war right now if you had Russia in,” adding that “not having Putin as part of the bloc makes life more complicated”. The thought seems to have spurred Trump into exploring the idea of a five-nation superclub by bringing the US, Russia, China, India, and Japan under one strategic umbrella.

“The strategy proposes a Core 5, or C5, made up of the US, China, Russia, India, and Japan—which are several of the countries with more than 100 million people,” the report said.

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Even the first agenda of the Core-5 group has been reportedly decided: Middle East security, focusing on normalising relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Getting Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, which normalised diplomatic relations between Israel and some Arab states, is one of Trump’s key goals in his second term. Saudi Arabia is not part of the Abraham Accords, which was signed in 2020 during Trump’s first term.

Core-5 plan marks major shift in priorities and policy for the US

The proposal of the ‘Core-5’ superclub marks a huge shift in priorities for the US, which has so far relied on its European allies, and pushes towards greater engagement with emerging powers.

Though the ‘Core-5’ proposal was not in the National Security Strategy released by the US on December 5, it did declare the desire to achieve stability in ties with Russia and mentioned contradictions with Europe.

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Besides, the ties between the US and India also seem to be easing after initial tensions as PM Narendra Modi held his third phone call with Trump on Thursday in recent months, and described them as “very warm”.

Trump had slapped India with the highest tariff of 50%, citing New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil, souring ties between the two nations.

The Core-5 would not have the G7 requirement of the countries being both wealthy and democratically governed.