QUAD Summit: Key highlights as PM Modi, leaders commit to free & open Indo-Pacific

Leaders of the QUAD countries - the US, India, Japan and Australia - on May 24 pledged for a free and open Indo-Pacific region, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida and Australian PM Anthony Albanese held major discussions on countering belligerent China’s growing military assertiveness and economic influence in the region. 

In their fourth interaction since their first virtual meeting in March 2021, the Summit in Washington DC in September 2021, the QUAD leaders reiterated a shared commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. They also affirmed the importance of upholding the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and peaceful resolution of disputes. Perspectives on developments in the Indo-Pacific and the conflict in Europe were also shared.

Key highlights from the 2nd in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit in Tokyo:

India-US Comprehensive Strategic Global Partnership & QUAD fellowship

Prime Minister Narendra Modi focused on the US Comprehensive Strategic Global Partnership which is underpinned by a shared commitment to democratic values, rule of law, and a commitment to uphold a rules-based international order, in the Indo Pacific region. Prime Minister Modi and President Joe Biden discussed the progress made across sectors in the bilateral agenda. The two counterparts also welcomed Investment Incentive Agreement which enables the US Development Finance Corporation to continue providing investment support in India. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored the mutual trust and determination of QUAD partners that is paving new energy and enthusiasm to democratic powers in the region. 

"QUAD has made an important place for itself before the world in such a short span of time. Today, Quad's scope has become extensive, its form effective. Our mutual trust, and our determination is giving new energy and enthusiasm to democratic powers," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the crucial strategic partnership summit held on May 24. 

Prime Minister Modi also launched QUAD Fellowship in Tokyo. As many as 100 students from partner nations will be sponsored to study in the US for graduate degrees in science, tech, engineering and mathematics (STEM). PM Modi encouraged the Indian students to apply for the QUAD Fellowship programme and join the next generation of STEM leaders and innovators. Applications will be open through to June 30. 

"The Quad Fellowship programme is a wonderful and unique initiative. This prestigious fellowship will offer our students great opportunities to pursue graduate and doctorate programmes," PM Modi said.

"I encourage our students to apply for the QUAD Fellowship programme and join the next generation of STEM leaders and innovators building a better future for humanity," he added.

 

Defence and security cooperation

Prime Minister Modi told US President Joe Biden that defence and security cooperation is a crucial pillar of the India-US bilateral agenda. QUAD leaders pledged commitment to the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. They reaffirmed "unwavering support" for ASEAN unity and centrality and for the practical implementation of ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.

Prime Minister Modi and his counterparts welcomed EU’s Joint Communication on the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific which was announced in September 2021. India, the US, Japan and Australia are committed to championing the adherence to international law by the Indo-Pacific countries, especially in the face of belligerence and rising military might of neighbouring China. 

They outlined the importance of implementing the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the maintenance of freedom of navigation and overflight, to meet challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the East and South China Seas.

QUAD leaders "strongly opposed" any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo and increase tensions in the Indo Pacific region. This includes the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities.

Strengthening cooperation with Pacific island countries

India, US, Japan and Australia affirmed to enhancing focus on Pacific island partners via Pacific Islands Forum unity and for Pacific regional security frameworks.

They will step up cooperation for the economic well being of Pacific Island nations, strengthen health infrastructure and environmental resilience, improve their maritime security and sustain their fisheries. Focus was also laid on providing sustainable infrastructure to bolster educational opportunities and mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change, which pose especially serious challenges for the Indo-Pacific region. 

'Complete denuclearization' of Korean Peninsula, Ukraine war & Myanmar crisis 

QUAD leaders made a commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, consistent with United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs). They reconfirmed the necessity of immediate resolution of the issue of Japanese abductees by agents of the North Korean government between 1977 to 1983. US President Joe Biden on Monday urged North Korea to correct the "historic wrong" and provide "a full accounting of the 12 Japanese nationals who remain missing." A group of the victims' families also spoke to Biden for 30 minutes. 

The QUAD leaders condemned North Korea’s destabilizing ballistic missile development and launches, including multiple intercontinental ballistic missile tests, in violation of UNSCRs, and call on the international community to fully implement these resolutions. They also discussed the humanitarian suffering and regional instability following the coup d'état in Myanmar on 1 February 2021, after the democratically elected members of the ruling party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), were deposed by the Myanmar military-- Tatmadaw. India affirmed support for ASEAN-led efforts to seek a solution in Myanmar. 

"We continue to call for the immediate end to violence in Myanmar, the release of all political detainees, including foreigners, engagement in constructive dialogue, humanitarian access, and the swift restoration of democracy," QUAD leaders said in a joint statement. 

With respect to the war in Ukraine, Prime Minister Modi highlighted India’s consistent and principled position, as he called for cessation of hostilities, resumption of dialogue and diplomacy. 

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in his remarks, labelled Russia's war in Ukraine a "frontal challenge" expressing concerns about a similar unfolding in the Indo-Pacific with Beijing's growing assertiveness.

"A grave incident which has fundamentally shaken the rules-based international order has taken place since we met last September. The Russian invasion of Ukraine challenges the principles which are enshrined in the United Nations Charter. We should never ever allow a similar incident to happen in the Indo-Pacific region," PM Kishida asserted. 

Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) 

India joined the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) aimed at countering China's economic control and influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Prime Minister Modi welcomed IPEF, noting that India is ready to work closely with all partner countries to shape a flexible, and inclusive IPEF, also taking into consideration the "respective national circumstances."

"We share the same goal of ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific that will deliver greater prosperity and greater opportunity for all of our children," said US presdient Joe Biden. 

"We've shown that QUAD is not just a passing fad. We mean business. We're here to get things done for the region, and I'm proud of what we're building together, and I look forward to our vital partnership flourishing and for many years to come," PM Modi added. 

COVID-19 and Global Health Security

QUAD leaders pledged to lead global efforts for COVID-19 response, with a view to building health security and strengthening health systems across the region. India has been a leading and is a key player for vaccine assistance to the globe under its ambitious Vaccine Maitri initiative. The assistance programme was implemented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under his vision to eliminate the pandemic and outdo the global "vaccine inequality." India played crucial role in tacking the COVID-19 pandemic by its generous donations of the jabs to needful countries. Until recently New Delhi delivered Thailand and Cambodia vaccine shipments under the QUAD framework. 

QUAD pledged "collective approach" to prepare for new COVID-19 variants, and get vaccines, tests, treatments, and other medical products to those at highest risk. QUAD partners collectively pledged approximately USD $5.2 billion to the COVAX AMC, approximately 40% of the total contributions. It delivered 670 million doses, including at least 265 million doses to the Indo-Pacific.

Prime Minister Modi welcomed the expansion of J&J vaccine production at the Biological E facility in India under the QUAD Vaccine Partnership. He also invited the US industry to partner with India to manufacture in India under the Make in India and Aatma Nirbhar Bharat or self-reliant India programmes which can be of mutual benefit to both countries. PM Modi also exentded India and US' longstanding Vaccine Action Programme (VAP) until 2027. This partnership will foster joint biomedical research for the development of vaccines and related technologies.

Climate Change

The meeting of the QUAD leaders involved the regular high-level dialogue on climate change. Prime Minister Modi and Biden held talks in continuation to the in-person meeting held in September 2021 in Washington DC. They two counterparts spoke at length about interactions held at the G20 and COP26 Summits thereafter. They also led a virtual interaction on 11 April 2022.

QUAD leaders observed the latest IPCC reports, and committed to steadfastly implement the Paris Agreement and deliver on the outcomes of COP26. They promised to accelerate efforts to raise global ambition by reaching out to key stakeholders in the Indo-Pacific region. They launched the "Quad Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Package (Q-CHAMP)” with "mitigation” and "adaptation” as its two themes.

Q-CHAMP includes initiatives under the QUAD Climate Working Group such as green shipping and ports aiming for a shared green corridor framework building on each QUAD country’s input; clean energy cooperation in clean hydrogen and methane emissions from the natural gas sector; strengthening clean energy supply chains.

QUAD pledged new cooperation in clean fuel ammonia, carbon Recycling, cooperation and capacity-building support to advance high integrity carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, climate-smart agriculture, knowledge sharing on subnational climate actions, and ecosystem-based adaptation among other activities to urgently address climate change. 

Cybersecurity, Space & Maritime Domain Awareness and HADR

QUAD's vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific revolves around robust cybersecurity and combating the external cyber threats that are crucial for national security. Partner nations pledged to bolster the digital and cyber defences to protect their nations’ critical infrastructure. This would be fostered by sharing threat information, identifying and evaluating potential risks in supply chains for digitally enabled products and services, and aligning baseline software security standards for government procurement.

QUAD will also leverage collective purchasing power to improve the broader software development ecosystem so India and the other nations in the Indo-Pacific may benefit from it. 

A  new maritime domain awareness initiative, the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) was signed to effectively respond to humanitarian and natural disasters, and combat illegal fishing in the Indo-Pacific. Under the framework, a consultation will be made with Indo-Pacific nations, India and the regional information fusion centres in the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Leaders also announced the establishment of the "Quad Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) in the Indo-Pacific” to strengthen collaboration to effectively respond to disasters in Indo Pacific region.

India and its QUAD partners also furthered Earth observation satellite data and application launches in the space domain. An Earth observation-based monitoring system and sustainable development framework will be worked on under the QUAD's space cooperation, which also includes the sustainable uses of oceans and marine resources. 

QUAD countries will share space-based civil Earth observation data, along with providing a "Quad Satellite Data Portal” that aggregates links to our respective national satellite data resources. India, US, Japan and Australia will also consult on rules, norms, guidelines and principles for the sustainable use of space. They will extend support to countries in the region through joint workshops such as the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) Guidelines for the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities.