Kwatra: Quad summit will have discussion on Indo-Pacific and global issues of mutual interest

New Delhi: The upcoming Quad summit in Tokyo that takes place amidst an escalating global food and fuel crisis due to the Ukraine conflict, would see Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with the leaders of US, Japan and Australia discuss the developments in the Indo-Pacific region as well as global issues of mutual interest.
The May 24 Quad Leaders in-person summit, the second such meeting after they met in September last year in Washington, would also provide PM Modi, US President Joe Biden, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, and new Australian PM Anthony Albanese, with an opportunity to take stock of the progress made thus far towards the Quad initiatives and also give guidance for the future, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said at a briefing today.
PM Modi will hold bilateral meetings with the three leaders too, including having his first meeting with the new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
“The developments in the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest might also come up for discussion,” the FS added.
Elaborating on the Quad objectives, he said the Quadrilateral cooperation “is anchored in the shared values and commitment to the principles of democracy, international law and rules based international order and also a vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo Pacific”. The meeting comes as China has been increasing its hegemonistic ventures in the Indo-Pacific region, including treading on the toes of Japan repeatedly by laying claim to islets belonging to the latter in the East China Sea, and challenging India in the eastern Ladakh region.

The Foreign Secretary said since the first summit in March 2021 held virtually, the Quad has been working to implement “a positive and constructive agenda on enabling peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo Pacific region”.
Outlining the cooperation agenda, he said the efforts have included working together on climate action. “This involves creating a de-carbonized green shipping networks in the Indo Pacific, making use of clean hydrogen and making it more accessible, pooling capacities to assist Indo Pacific countries in climate monitoring, and information sharing.”
He said Quad‘s infrastructure coordination group has been deliberating on supporting sustainable and demand driven infrastructure in the region in a manner that doesn’t burden countries in the region with unsustainable debt – in an oblique reference to China which has been burdening countries under crippling debt with its infrastructure projects.
A key priority area of cooperation in the Quad is in the sector of critical and emerging technologies, biotechnology, diversification of semiconductor supply chain and security of critical cyber infrastructure, he said.
With regard to tackling the pandemic, the four countries are focusing on continuing cooperation in Covid response and in post Covid management of the economy and health infrastructure, “These include last mile delivery, health security, genomic surveillance, clinical trials, and pandemic preparedness as their important elements.”
He said the Quad would also organize a special session on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly later this month on promoting vaccine confidence and fighting the info-demic.
On the bilateral meeting with President Biden, he said the India-US bilateral relationship is multifaceted and has acquired momentum and depth and is diversified.
“Our long-standing cooperation is in diverse areas ranging from trade, defence, security, climate, education, energy,” and added that all the aspects of cooperation are on an upward trajectory. “There is regular exchange of visits and dialogue, and these dialogues are just not limited to the bilateral agenda, but also include issues of regional and global importance,” he added.
He said the meeting between PM Modi and President Biden “will mark a continuation of these high-level dialogues and provide guidance and vision to take the relationship forward”.
The two leaders had spoken in virtual format ahead of the 2+2 meeting last month.
On the PM’s meeting with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, he said Japan is among our most important partners. “Prime Minister Modi has referred to India-Japan relations as one of the most natural in the region.”
He said that in the last few years, the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership “has seen great momentum and the meeting will be an opportunity to carry forward the high-level engagement between the two sides and to advance the bilateral cooperation agenda.”
He said PM Kishida’s recent visit to India in March this year saw substantial outcomes, which included a target of Japanese yen 5 trillion, or approximately $40-42 billion, in public and private investment in financing over the five years and adoption of several key outcome documents, which included an industrial competitiveness partnership roadmap, clean energy partnership, Sustainable Development Initiative for the North East and agreements on sustainable urban development, cybersecurity, among other things,.
The FS said the two prime ministers will continue their discussion on how to further deepen bilateral economic cooperation, including in trade and investment, clean energy, cooperation in the North East, people to people ties, digital partnership and exchange perspectives on common issues of regional and global importance.
PM Modi will hold a Business Roundtable and interact with the leadership of the Japanese industry and businesses and also hold one on one meetings with them in Tokyo, he said, adding that the PM’s meeting with Japanese business leaders will further propel our bilateral business ties.
On Australia, he said that “elections are being held in Australia and we understand the next Australian Prime Minister is likely to attend the Quad summit. It is expected that PM Modi will meet the new Australian leader in Tokyo, and the two would review the bilateral comprehensive and strategic partnership and exchange views on regional and global developments.(UNI)