Washington: The Group of Eight industrialised nations are considering opening doors of the elite club to include more States, including India and China, to reflect the growing importance of the two Asian economic giants. There is "certainly a case for including countries like China and India", British Prime Minister Tony Blair said at the end of the G-8 summit held in Sea Island, Georgia, yesterday (June 10, 2004).

"We have already begun the process of outreach and I'm sure that will continue," he was quoted as saying by British newspapers. Russian President Vladimir Putin said India and China's participation in the G-8 Conference would make much sense.

"India and China are huge countries, whose potential is growing and intensively," he was quoted by Russian news agency 'Itar-Tass' as saying.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had said on the first day of talks that the leaders were considering inviting China and India into the G-8 fold.

"It doesn't make sense for us to talk about the economy of the future without the two countries that are protagonists on the world stage."