News Analysis India

Tag: Quad summit

  • If Biden comes as chief guest for Republic Day, there could be a Quad Summit too in January

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: With US President Joe Biden having been invited as the chief guest for Republic Day in 2024, there is speculation on whether there would be a Quad Summit in India in January.

    “If President Biden does confirm his visit, there is every possibility of the Quad Summit being held around the same time,” said a source.

    Earlier, on Wednesday, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said, “During the sidelines of the bilateral meeting between PM Modi and President Biden on September 8th (a day ahead of the G20 Summit) PM Modi extended an invite to President Biden to come for the Republic Day.”

    President Biden hasn’t confirmed his participation yet, but if he accepts, he would be visiting India for the second time in four months.

    ALSO READ | English breakfast: Modi, Biden’s grandpa & some spiced toast

    India will host the next Quad Summit but there is no confirmation yet on the dates. Although January 26 is also Australia’s National Day, the summit could be held shortly afterwards if President Biden gives his nod.

    Meanwhile, President Biden will also be preparing for his last State of the Union address before the 2024 elections. There is no clarity yet on when the date would be, if it happens to be in January.

    President Biden, who has been in the White House since 2021, is hoping to be nominated by the Democratic Party as the Presidential candidate for the 2024 election.

    Former US President Barack Obama had been the chief guest for Republic Day in 2015.

    NEW DELHI: With US President Joe Biden having been invited as the chief guest for Republic Day in 2024, there is speculation on whether there would be a Quad Summit in India in January.

    “If President Biden does confirm his visit, there is every possibility of the Quad Summit being held around the same time,” said a source.

    Earlier, on Wednesday, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said, “During the sidelines of the bilateral meeting between PM Modi and President Biden on September 8th (a day ahead of the G20 Summit) PM Modi extended an invite to President Biden to come for the Republic Day.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    President Biden hasn’t confirmed his participation yet, but if he accepts, he would be visiting India for the second time in four months.

    ALSO READ | English breakfast: Modi, Biden’s grandpa & some spiced toast

    India will host the next Quad Summit but there is no confirmation yet on the dates. Although January 26 is also Australia’s National Day, the summit could be held shortly afterwards if President Biden gives his nod.

    Meanwhile, President Biden will also be preparing for his last State of the Union address before the 2024 elections. There is no clarity yet on when the date would be, if it happens to be in January.

    President Biden, who has been in the White House since 2021, is hoping to be nominated by the Democratic Party as the Presidential candidate for the 2024 election.

    Former US President Barack Obama had been the chief guest for Republic Day in 2015.

  • Quad Summit to take place in Hiroshima, India set to host next meeting of leaders

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Quad Leaders Summit will now take place in Hiroshima instead of Sydney. US President Joe Biden’s urgent need to return to the US after the G7 Leaders Summit in Hiroshima has led to the change of plans.

    “The Quad Summit was to be held in Sydney. However, the sudden change of plans has led to a change of the venue as all four Quad leaders – Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Biden, Australian PM Anthony Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida – will meet in a hotel in Hiroshima either on May 20 or 21. The next Quad Summit will be hosted by India,” said a source.

    PM Modi will leave for Japan on May 19 to attend the G7 Summit as a guest member on the invitation of PM Kishida. This is India’s 10th invite to the G7 Summit. A bust of Mahatma Gandhi will be unveiled in Hiroshima by the PM.

    Meanwhile, in Japan PM Modi is expected to address sessions at the G7 on subjects like peace, stability and prosperity of a sustainable planet, food, fertiliser and energy security amongst other issues.

    ALSO READ | China’s loans pushing world’s poorest countries to brink of collapse

    PM Modi is likely to have bilateral talks with other leaders of the G7 including British PM Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Schloz.

    “India’s participation at the G7 summit signals “increasing recognition” that New Delhi should be a part of any serious effort to resolve global challenges including those for peace, security, development and environmental preservation,’’ said Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra.

    After attending the G7 Summit, PM Modi will leave for Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, where he will host the 3rd Summit of FIPIC jointly with Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, James Marape, on May 22. He will also hold bilateral engagements in Papua New Guinea, including meetings with Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae and PM Marape.

    FIPIC involves India and 14 Pacific Island countries, namely, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Notably, Modi will be the first Indian PM to visit Papua New Guinea.

    PM Modi will also hold his first meeting with the New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in Papua New Guinea. The Indian PM will then travel to Australia from May 22 to May 24 following an invitation from his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese in Sydney for the Quad Leaders’ Summit.

    PM Modi will also hold a bilateral meeting with PM Albanese on May 24, marking his fifth meeting with the Australian counterpart this year. PM Modi will also interact with Australian CEOs and business leaders, and address the Indian diaspora at a community event in Sydney.

    NEW DELHI: The Quad Leaders Summit will now take place in Hiroshima instead of Sydney. US President Joe Biden’s urgent need to return to the US after the G7 Leaders Summit in Hiroshima has led to the change of plans.

    “The Quad Summit was to be held in Sydney. However, the sudden change of plans has led to a change of the venue as all four Quad leaders – Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Biden, Australian PM Anthony Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida – will meet in a hotel in Hiroshima either on May 20 or 21. The next Quad Summit will be hosted by India,” said a source.

    PM Modi will leave for Japan on May 19 to attend the G7 Summit as a guest member on the invitation of PM Kishida. This is India’s 10th invite to the G7 Summit. A bust of Mahatma Gandhi will be unveiled in Hiroshima by the PM.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Meanwhile, in Japan PM Modi is expected to address sessions at the G7 on subjects like peace, stability and prosperity of a sustainable planet, food, fertiliser and energy security amongst other issues.

    ALSO READ | China’s loans pushing world’s poorest countries to brink of collapse

    PM Modi is likely to have bilateral talks with other leaders of the G7 including British PM Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Schloz.

    “India’s participation at the G7 summit signals “increasing recognition” that New Delhi should be a part of any serious effort to resolve global challenges including those for peace, security, development and environmental preservation,’’ said Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra.

    After attending the G7 Summit, PM Modi will leave for Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, where he will host the 3rd Summit of FIPIC jointly with Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, James Marape, on May 22. He will also hold bilateral engagements in Papua New Guinea, including meetings with Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae and PM Marape.

    FIPIC involves India and 14 Pacific Island countries, namely, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Notably, Modi will be the first Indian PM to visit Papua New Guinea.

    PM Modi will also hold his first meeting with the New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in Papua New Guinea. The Indian PM will then travel to Australia from May 22 to May 24 following an invitation from his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese in Sydney for the Quad Leaders’ Summit.

    PM Modi will also hold a bilateral meeting with PM Albanese on May 24, marking his fifth meeting with the Australian counterpart this year. PM Modi will also interact with Australian CEOs and business leaders, and address the Indian diaspora at a community event in Sydney.

  • Afghanistan crisis, COVID and climate focus of Modi-Biden talks, Quad summit

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden on Friday held their first bilateral meeting in Washington where they agreed to fight challenges like Covid and climate change together while strengthening mutual ties.

    In his opening remarks, Biden recalled his Mumbai visit in his capacity of US vice-president and said that ties between the US and India are destined to grow. “We must take on challenges like Covid and climate change together,” he said. Both invoked Mahatma Gandhi and his values of non-violence. Biden is the third US President since 2014 to hold a bilateral meeting with Modi.

    ALSO READ | Quad summit will be force for global good: PM Narendra Modi

    Modi said Biden’s presidency will sow the seeds for better bilateral ties and also for all democracies across the world. “You have taken unique initiatives since you assumed office with regard to Covid, climate change and Quad. We will work together on these issues, which will benefit not only our countries but the entire world,” Modi told his host.

    Modi said technology would be a significant player in the coming decade across the world. “Technology will be used for betterment of humanity and will provide tremendous opportunities,” he said and added that trade will also continue to play an important part in bilateral relations.

    In the delegation-level talks, the two leaders discussed cooperation in various sectors like trade, defence and security, including matters of regional and global importance, like the Afghan situation. At the Quad summit that followed, Modi said its vaccine initiative would greatly help the countries of the Indo-Pacific. Modi, along with Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, participated in the first-ever in-person Quad leaders’ summit in New York. “Be it Covid, security or technology, the Quad will work together and will be a force for global good,” Modi said.

    Biden announced Quad scholarships where 25 students from each member country would be able to pursue master’s degrees in prestigious US universities. Morrison said Australia believes in a free and open Indo-Pacific while Suga pressed the US to lift restrictions on the import of Japanese products like rice.

  • Quad vaccine initiative will help people of Indo-Pacific nations: PM Modi

    By ANI

    WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that four nations of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue came together in the interest of humanity when the world is battling with COVID-19, adding that Quad vaccine initiative will help Indo-Pacific nations.

    “Our Quad vaccine initiative will help Indo-Pacific nations. Quad decided to go ahead with a positive approach on basis of our shared democratic values. I’d be happy to discuss with my friends-be it supply chain,global security, climate action, COVID response or tech cooperation,” PM Modi said at the opening remarks at Quad Leaders’ Summit.

    “I express my gratitude to President Joe Biden for the first in-person Quad meeting. Four countries, for the first time, came together to help the Indo-pacific region after the 2004 Tsunami. Today when the world is battling with COVID-19, we being the Quad members are again came together in the interest of humanity,” he added.

    The much-anticipated first in-person meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (or Quad, of India, the United States, Australia and Japan), began on Friday.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi is participating in the Quad leaders meeting along with leaders of the US, Japan, and Australia in Washington. US President Joe Biden is hosting all the leaders at the White House.

    According to sources and official announcements, today’s summit will touch upon a variety of subjects like 5G technology, climate change, critical infrastructure, supply chains and regional security.

    In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said PM Modi and Biden, along with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and their Japanese counterpart Yoshihide Suga will review the Quad Vaccine initiative which was announced in March this year, as part of their ongoing efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The leaders will review progress made since their first virtual summit on March 12, 2021, and discuss regional issues of shared interest. They will also exchange views on contemporary global issues such as critical and emerging technologies, connectivity and infrastructure, cyber security, maritime security, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, climate change, and education, read the statement.

    The Summit on Friday would provide a valuable opportunity for dialogue and interactions among the leaders, anchored in their shared vision of ensuring a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

    A US official has said that hosting the Quad fundamentally is a demonstration of the priority of engaging in the Indo-Pacific, including through new multilateral configurations designed to focus on 21st-century challenges.

    Earlier today, PM Modi and US President Biden held their first bilateral meeting since the latter assumed office and discussed bilateral relations including trade, COVID-19, climate challenges, and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

    On Thursday, PM Modi met his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison, US Vice President Kamala Harris, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and held meetings with five global CEOs for potential investment in India.

    Earlier in March, the first-ever Quad virtual summit had stressed a free, open, and rule-based Indo-Pacific region that is “anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion”.

    Prime Minister Modi arrived in Washington on Wednesday for his much-touted US visit. PM Modi is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, and senior officials.

  • PM Modi invites US President Biden to visit India

    By ANI

    WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited US President Joe Biden to visit India, said the Ministry of External Affairs, adding that New Delhi looks forward to the visit of the US leader at the “earliest and mutual convenience”.

    “PM Modi invited President Joe Biden to visit India. President Biden noted with thanks and appreciation. We certainly look forward to the visit of the US President at the earliest and mutual convenience,” Shringla said in a special briefing.

    Prime Minister Modi, who is on a three-day visit to the US, held his maiden bilateral meeting with US President Biden and attended the Quad leaders Summit.

    On Thursday, Prime Minister Modi praised US Vice President Kamala Harris as a “source of inspiration” while extending an invitation to her to visit India.

    “Your election as Vice President of USA has been an important and historic event. You are a source of inspiration for many across the world. I am confident that under President Biden and your leadership our bilateral relations will touch new heights,” PM Modi said in a joint press conference with Harris after the two leaders met.

    “Continuing on this journey of victory, Indians would also want you to continue that in India and therefore they are waiting to welcome you. I extend you an invitation to visit India,” he added. (ANI)

  • PM Modi lands in Washington to attend Quad summit, address UNGA

    By ANI

    WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday local time arrived in Washington for his much-touted three-day US visit.

    Prime Minister Modi was received by US department of state officials at Joint Base Andrews in Washington DC upon his arrival. He was welcomed by India’s Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, along with the Defence attache including Brigadier Anoop Singhal, Air Commodore Anjan Bhadra and naval attache Commodore Nirbhaya Bapna.

    During his visit, he will address the UN General Assembly and attend the Quad leaders Summit as well as hold a bilateral meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House.

    More than a hundred members from the Indian Community gathered at the airport to welcome the Indian leader.

    As PM Modi’s plane landed in Washington, exuberant members of the Indian diaspora started cheering. Despite the rain, the Indian diaspora waited patiently for PM Modi’s arrival.

    The prime minister travelled to the US on the recently-inducted custom-made Boeing 777 aircraft.

    Biden will host PM Modi at the White House on September 24, this is going to be the first in-person meeting between the two leaders after Biden took over as the US President on January 20. This is Prime Minister Modi’s first visit abroad beyond the neighbourhood since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

    Ahead of leaving for the US to participate in Quad Leaders’ Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said his visit will be an occasion to strengthen the strategic partnership with the United States, Japan and Australia.

    “I will be visiting the USA from September 22 to September 25, 2021, at the invitation of His Excellency President Joe Biden of the United States of America. During my visit, I will review the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership with President Biden and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest,” Prime Minister said in his Departure Statement.

    “I am also looking forward to meeting Vice President Kamala Harris to explore opportunities for cooperation between our two nations particularly in the area of science and technology,” he added.

    As per the statement issued by Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, PM Modi and President Biden are expected to discuss ways to stem radicalisation and combat terrorism.

    They are also expected to discuss ways to bolster defence, trade ties, security collaborations and clean energy partnership among others,” PM Modi and Biden will discuss the current regional security situation following the recent developments in Afghanistan.PM Modi will also hold business interactions during his US visit from September 22-25.

    Prime Minister Modi will attend the first in-person summit of the Quad hosted by the US President on Friday, which will be attended by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan and Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia.

    PM Modi will address the General Debate of the High-Level Segment of 76th Session of UN General Assembly (UNGA) on September 25 in New York.

    The theme for this year’s general debate is building resilience through hope to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainability, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people and revitalise the United Nations.

    While addressing the UN General Assembly, the Prime Minister will dwell on the important issues, including the regional situation, cross border terrorism, global efforts to combat COVID-19 and climate change and the need to reform multilateral institutions.

    Another element of the Prime Minister’s visit would be bilateral meetings with our close partners Japan and Australia where he will hold several bilateral meetings including with US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.PM Modi is accompanied by a high-level delegation consisting of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and senior officials including Shringla. (ANI)

  • PM Narendra Modi departs for three-day visit to US

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a three-day visit to the United States on Wednesday where he will address the UN General Assembly and attend the Quad Summit as well as hold a bilateral meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House.

    Biden will host PM Modi at the White House on September 24, this is going to be the first in-person meeting between the two leaders after Biden took over as the US President on January 20.

    As per the statement issued by Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, PM Modi and President Biden are expected to discuss ways to stem radicalisation and combat terrorism. They are also expected to discuss ways to bolster defence, trade ties, security collaborations and clean energy partnership among others,”

    ALSO READ| UNGA address will focus on COVID, need to combat terrorism: PM Modi

    PM Modi and Biden will discuss the current regional security situation following the recent developments in Afghanistan. PM Modi will also hold business interactions during his US visit from September 22-25.

    Prime Minister Modi will attend the first in-person summit of the Quad hosted by the US President on Friday, which will be attended by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan and Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia.

    PM Modi will address the General Debate of the High-Level Segment of 76th Session of UN General Assembly (UNGA) on September 25 in New York.

    The theme for this year’s general debate is building resilience through hope to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainability, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people and revitalise the United Nations.

    ALSO WATCH |

    While addressing the UN General Assembly, the Prime Minister will dwell on the important issues, including the regional situation, cross border terrorism, global efforts to combat COVID-19 and climate change and the need to reform multilateral institutions.

    Another element of the Prime Minister’s visit would be bilateral meetings with our close partners Japan and Australia where he will hold several bilateral meetings including with US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

    PM Modi is accompanied by a high-level delegation consisting of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and senior officials including Shringla. This is Prime Minister Modi’s first visit abroad beyond the neighbourhood since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

  • Not enough that Indo-Pacific region is open and free, India must be so too: Congress leader Chidambaram

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: A day after the Quad leaders’ summit, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram Saturday took a dig at the government, saying it is not enough that the Indo-Pacific region is open and free, India must be so too.

    In a first such summit, the Quad leaders — Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian PM Scott Morrison and Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga — vowed to strive for an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, inclusive, healthy, anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion.

    “It is not enough that, as the Quad leaders said, the Indo-Pacific region is open and free. India must be open and free,” Chidambaram tweeted.

    “The repressive laws and the suppression of dissent are the not the hallmark of an open and free country,” he said.

  • Quad’s mega vaccine push for global good

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday participated in the first-ever Quad Summit meet virtually where a combined initiative to boost India’s vaccine manufacturing capacity was announced even as sources said the stand-off against China on the LAC, too, came up for discussion.

    Dwelling on the vaccine initiative, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said it will leverage strengths from each of the member countries to achieve the target of manufacturing one billion doses by the end of next year. “Japan and the US will finance the initiative while Australia will provide logistical support to the programme,” Shringla said.

    A joint statement titled Spirit of the Quad released after the summit said the four countries will expand safe, affordable, and effective vaccine production and equitable access to hasten economic recovery and benefit global health. “We recognise that none of us can be safe as long as the pandemic continues to spread… We will collaborate to strengthen equitable vaccine access for the Indo- Pacific, with close coordinat i on wi th multi lateral organizations including the WHO and COVAX,” it added.

    A joint working group has been formed to oversee the implementation of the vaccine programme. Similarly, Shringla said, two more joint working groups have been constituted to work on other important agenda of the Quad like technology and climate change. Earlier, addressing the Summit virtually, Modi said the grouping was a positive extension of the country’s ancient philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which regards the world as one family.

    The meeting was also attended by US President Joe Biden, Australian PM Scott Morrison and his Japanese counterpart Yoshihide Suga. The Quad grouping, comprising India, Australia, Japan and the US, is seen as a platform to counter the Chinese aggression in the region, especially the South China Sea. “Today’s summit meeting shows that Quad has come of age.

    It will now remain an important pillar of stability in the region,” Modi said. Announcing the vaccine programme, Biden said, “We are launching a new ambitious joint partnership that is going to boost vaccine manufacturing for the global benefit and will boost vaccination programmes in the Indo-Pacific region.

    Stand-off at LACThe stand-off in Eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control wasdiscussed during the Quad Summit and members had sympathetic views, sources said

    Inclusive Indo-Pacific“We are united by… our commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo- Pacific. Our agenda today covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies makes the Quad a force for global good,” Modi said

  • Under mega Quad initiative, India to produce COVID-19 vaccines for Indo-Pacific region

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: In their first-ever summit, leaders of the Quad countries on Friday finalised a landmark initiative under which huge investments will be made in India to create additional production capacities for the export of doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the Indo-Pacific region, seen as an effort to counter China’s expanding vaccine diplomacy.

    The Quad leaders — Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian PM Scott Morrison and Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga — vowed to strive for an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, inclusive, healthy, anchored by democratic? values, and unconstrained by coercion, in an apparent message to China.

    In his opening remarks at the virtual summit, Modi said Quad has come of age and its agenda covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies makes it a force for global good.

    Modi said India’s formidable vaccine production capacity will be expanded with support from Japan, US and Australia to assist countries in the Indo-Pacific region and that Quad would now remain an important pillar of stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

    “We are united by our democratic values, and our commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Our agenda today – covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies – makes the Quad a force for global good,” he said.

    In his comments, Biden said the Quad is going to be a vital arena for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

    “A free and open Indo Pacific is essential to each of our futures,” Biden told the meeting from the White House.

    ALSO READ | Quad has come of age; its agenda makes it a force for global good: PM Modi

    In a media briefing, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said, referring to the vaccine initiative and making India a major production hub, the aim is to produce a billion doses of vaccines by the end of 2022.

    He said the financing for creation of additional production capacities in India will come from the US and Japan, while Australia will contribute to the last mile logistics and delivery issues.

    “In today’s context, it is one of the most important initiatives. We are talking about huge investments in creating additional vaccine capacities in India for exports to countries in the Indo-Pacific region for their betterment. We are talking about producing a billion doses of vaccines by the end of 2022,” he said.

    Asked whether the situation in eastern Ladakh figured in the talks, the foreign secretary said there was a discussion on regional issues important to the Quad member nations but declined to give the details saying the nature of the discussions were confidential.

    “There was a commonality of views on these issues. Constructive discussions will continue,” he said.

    It is learnt that the situation in eastern Ladakh figured in the summit and Quad leaders appeared supportive of India on it.

    In a joint statement titled ‘The Spirit of the Quad’, the leaders said they pledged to strengthen cooperation on the “defining challenges of our time” and said they will continue to prioritise the role of international law in the maritime domain and facilitate collaboration, including in maritime security, to meet challenges to the rules-based maritime order in the East and South China Seas.

    Referring to the situation in Myanmar following the coup, the Quad leaders emphasised the urgent need to restore democracy and the priority of strengthening democratic resilience.

    In the summit, the leaders decided to establish a vaccine expert working group to implement path-breaking commitment to safe and effective vaccine distribution.

    They also decided to launch a critical- and emerging-technology working group to facilitate cooperation on international standards and innovative technologies of the future.

    A separate working group will be set up on issue relating to climate change.

    “The ambition of these engagements is fit to the moment; we are committed to leveraging our partnership to help the world’s most dynamic region respond to historic crisis, so that it may be the free, open, accessible, diverse, and thriving Indo-Pacific we all seek,” the joint statement said.

    Following the summit, Prime Minister Modi described the discussions as “fruitful” and said he reiterated India’s commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific in line with the country’s vision of SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region.

    “Our discussions today on vaccines, climate change, and emerging technologies make the Quad a positive force for global good and for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” he tweeted.

    In their joint statement, the Quad leaders noted that the global devastation wrought by COVID-19, the threat of climate change,? and security challenges facing the region “summon us with renewed purpose”.

    In the media briefing, Shringla said it was decided that India’s manufacturing capacities is something that is going to be leveraged to make US vaccines.

    Shringla said the vaccine initiative is a special one which is designed pro-actively to mitigate impact of COVID-19 among countries in the Indo-Pacific.

    “India welcomes Quad vaccine initiatives as it recognises our own manufacturing capacities and capabilities,” he said.

    Shringla said Friday’s virtual summit has set a benchmark for Quad’s future efforts in interests of Indo-Pacific region.

    He said Quad vaccine initiative is the most pressing and valuable.

    In their joint statement, the leaders said they will redouble commitment to engagement and will combine nations’ medical, scientific, financing, manufacturing and delivery, and development capabilities.