PM Narendra Modi, giving his opening remarks at the summit, said that the Quad alliance is "not against anyone" but an alliance which supports "rules-based international order, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and peaceful resolution of all issues."
The leaders announced joint coast guard operations next year that will include Australian, Japanese and Indian personnel spending time on a U.S. coast guard vessel.
The countries plan increased military logistics cooperation, officials said. They did not comment on where the coast guard activity would take place.
The leaders also planned to expand an Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness, opens new tab launched two years ago.
Modi spoke at the Quad Summit being held in Delaware, US, on Saturday, highlighting the juncture at which the meeting between the world leaders is taking place is tainted by conflicts happening around the globe.
"Our meeting is taking place at a time when the world is surrounded by tensions and conflicts. In such a situation, the QUAD's working together on the basis of shared democratic values is very important for the entire humanity,” he said.
"Free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific is our shared priority and shared commitment," said PM Modi, adding that the alliance had already taken initiatives in areas like health, climate change, security, emerging technology and capacity building.
PM Modi also addressed President Joe Biden, acknowledging his contribution to the alliance.
"It gives me immense pleasure to participate at this Quad Summit during my third term. Under your leadership, the first summit of 2021 was organised," he said.
"In such a short time, we have expanded our cooperation in an unprecedented way in every direction. You have played a very important role in this. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your commitment and contribution to Quad."
The Prime Minister is on a three-day trip to the US for the Quad Summit. He also met President Biden before the summit at his residence to hold bilateral talks where the two leaders discussed ways to grow US-India relations and address regional and global conflicts.
In the coming days, he is scheduled to meet other leaders, travel to New York to address the American-Indian community at an event, meet with American tech business leaders, and deliver an address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
"China continues to behave aggressively, testing us all across the region," Biden was heard in what were supposed to be behind-closed-doors remarks to the so-called "Quad."
Biden said that while Chinese President Xi Jinping was focusing on "domestic economic challenges" he was also "looking to buy himself some diplomatic space, in my view, to aggressively pursue China's interest."
But he insisted that recent "intense efforts" by Washington to reduce tensions, including a call with Xi in April, were helping to prevent conflict.
The hot mic blunder risked undermining careful diplomatic efforts by all four countries during the summit to insist that their grouping is about more than just providing a counterweight to China.
In their joint statement after the summit, the four leaders made no direct mention of China, even as they expressed concern over tensions on its borders.
"We are seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas," their declaration said.
The leaders condemned "coercive and intimidating maneuvers" in the South China Sea — where China has been at odds with the Philippines and other nations over its maritime claims — but without saying whose maneuvers.
Disputed islands in the East China Sea have meanwhile long been a source of tensions between Japan and China. Instead the leaders used veiled statements, as they have on previous occasions, about keeping the region "free and open" and talking about geopolitical "challenges."
The other shadow hanging over the summit was November's US presidential election, with the isolationist former president Donald Trump in a tight race against Biden's political heir Kamala Harris.
Biden insisted that the group would survive whatever the political situation.
"While challenges will come, the world will change because the Quad is here to stay," Biden told the leaders in his public remarks before journalists were ushered out.
Asked by reporters if the Quad would make it past the November 5 election, Biden replied: "Way beyond November. Way beyond November."
ends
No comments:
Post a Comment