Why aren’t India, China here, ask G8 leaders

The G8 comprises the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Canada and Russia.

Berlusconi said the leaders discussed the strength of the Chinese economy and the fact that it was not constrained by the sort of labour laws that exist in the West.

‘‘But we said that we shouldn’t be afraid of China because it is a huge consumer market and the idea was put forward to call China and India to join the G8, making it the G9 or G10,’’ Berlusconi said.

He did not say if any decision had been taken.