The first summit of the heads of government of the four-member Quad group of countries is to be held on Friday.
The White House said, “President Biden will meet virtually with his counterparts in the Quad: Prime Minister Suga of Japan, Prime Minister Modi of India, and Prime Minister Morrison of Australia.”
Historic: This is the first meeting of the #Quad at the leader level. @POTUS and this administration are committed to working with our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific to secure the peace, defend our shared values, and advance our prosperity. pic.twitter.com/ImlJvLeAVW
— National Security Council (@WHNSC) March 9, 2021
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said, “Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will be participating, along with Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison and Prime Minister of Japan Yoshihide Suga and President of U.S.A. Joseph R. Biden, in the first Leaders’ Summit of the Quadrilateral Framework, being held virtually on 12th March 2021.”
The Indian Navy’s Vikramaditya Carrier Battle Group exercising with US Navy’s Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, Australian HMAS Ballarat and Japanese JS Murasame during Malabar 2020, last November | Photo: Indian Navy
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, “Formed in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami and formalized in 2007, the Quad has met regularly at the working and foreign minister level. However, Friday will be the first time that the Quad is meeting at the leader level.”
“The leaders will discuss regional and global issues of shared interest, and exchange views on practical areas of cooperation towards maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. The Summit will provide an opportunity to exchange views on contemporary challenges such as resilient supply chains, emerging and critical technologies, maritime security, and climate change,” said India’s MEA, adding, “The leaders will discuss ongoing efforts to combat Covid-19 pandemic and explore opportunities for collaboration in ensuring safe, equitable and affordable vaccines in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Ned Price, Spokesperson of the U.S. State Department said in his remarks, “Now, at the same time, I would just note that the Quad is not about any single challenge. It’s not about any single competitor. This is an entity forged and formed because we share common interests. They’re – maritime security is, of course, an important one, but our shared interests go well beyond that. And I think you will see reflected in the agenda the breadth of those shared interests in the aftermath of the Quad meeting.”
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