PM Modi to attend first QUAD summit on March 12; COVID fight & maritime security on agenda

Confirming that the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) summit will be held on March 12, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the first QUAD summit which will be held virtually. Along with PM Modi, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, US President Joe Biden and Japanse PM Yoshihide Suga will also attend the first Leaders’ Summit of the Quadrilateral Framework. 

'Will discuss vaccine distribution': MEA

As per the MEA, the global leaders will discuss the ongoing efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and explore opportunities for collaboration in ensuring safe, equitable and affordable vaccines in the Indo-Pacific region.

Notably, India has been leading the vaccine distribution programme by providing neighbouring countries and others around the world with the indigenously developed Covaxin and AstraZeneca's Covishield which is being manufactured in India.

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The leaders will also exchange views on contemporary challenges such as resilient supply chains, emerging and critical technologies, maritime security and climate change, the MEA said in a statement on Tuesday. Earlier, foreign ministers of the QUAD countries had met on February 18 in the backdrop of concerns over China's actions across the south pacific region. The meeting between the foreign minister had reiterated the group’s commitment to a rules-based world order underpinned by respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue involves summits and information exchanges between India, Australia, Japan and the US. Never before have heads of all four countries shared featured together in the forum. The QUAD countries have also engaged in mutual military drills and increased cooperation through bilateral agreements over the years. In November last year, Australia had joined the annual Malabar exercises with the US, Japan and India. 

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PM Modi-PM Suga talk ahead of Quad summit

Earlier in the day, PM Modi had a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister of Japan Suga Yoshihide where the two leaders reaffirmed the importance of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific and raised concerns over China's unilateral attempts to change the status quo. Matters pertaining to the situation in Hong Kong and Xinjiang and the current political crisis in Myanmar were also brought up by the Prime Ministers during the conversation. 

According to an official press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan, "Prime Minister Suga expressed serious concerns regarding unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Sea, China’s Coast Guard Law and the situation in Hong Kong and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). Prime Minister Suga also asked for understanding and cooperation toward the early resolution of the abductions issue by North Korea. Furthermore, the two leaders confirmed that they have grave concerns over the situation in Myanmar and they would closely work together in this vein."

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