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Jaishankar: Quad Reflects Growth of Multipolar Order

Jaishankar QUAD

Dr S. Jaishankar was addressing the ‘Quad Think Tank Forum’ session at the Raisina Dialogue. The session was primarily focused on the Quad, as well as a free and open Indo-Pacific

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said the coming together of India, US, Australia and Japan as part of the Quad group serves to illustrate the growth of a multipolar order and advance a post-Cold War thinking against ‘spheres of influence’.

“I believe it (Quad) has five messages. One, it reflects the growth of a multipolar order. Two, it is post-Alliance and post-Cold War thinking. Three, it is against spheres of influence. Four, It expresses the democratizing of the global space and a collaborative, not unilateral approach. And five, it is a statement that in this day and age, others cannot have a veto on our choices,” EAM Jaishankar said on the closing day of the Raisina Dialogue in the national capital on Saturday.

Jaishankar was addressing the ‘Quad Think Tank Forum’ session at the Raisina Dialogue. The session was primarily focused on the Quad, as well as a free and open Indo-Pacific

Highlighting the significance of Quad grouping in Indo-Pacific at the session, the EAM said, “Now, this in turn would elicit the question, why the Indo-Pacific? And the answer, I think, by now is very clear. The post-1945 division of what till then was perceived to be a cohesive threat resulted in our contemplating the Indian Ocean and the Pacific one as two separate entities. This separation was an outcome of American strategic priorities in 1945.”

Invoking the Quad’s history and events, he said they strengthened the grouping of four nations to discuss multi-faceted issues.

“The origins of the Quad go back to the tsunami response. This was an event which happened in late December 2004. I happen to be the coordinator for that response on the Indian side. In 2006, the actual idea of a Quad was put forward by the then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. But as I said earlier, it unravelled within a year, and in fact Abe himself had left office at that time,” Jaishankar said.

“In 2017, after a full decade, Quad was resumed, first at the Foreign Secretary’s level, and then was upgraded in 2019 to the ministerial one. Coincidentally, I happen to be occupying both positions at that particular juncture. In 2021, we, all four of us, upgraded it to the summit level and it has flourished since. And it’s been my privilege to have participated in all the meetings that have taken place since then,” he added.

The common refrain at the session was that the grouping should be in the interest of all countries in the region amid concerns around the Quad being an exclusive partnership between the four members. This session will also feature discussions on the state of recent efforts to expand the grouping’s outreach to other like-minded countries.

Before EAM Jaishankar, US Deputy Secretary of State, Kurt M. Campbell, addressed the session on behalf of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, saying, “The strength of the Quad is its ability to harness the resources and capabilities of our four nations (US, India, Australia, Japan) to deliver concrete outcomes that benefit us all. In 2024, it has enabled us to promote that common good for the people across the IndoPacific.”

Dr S. Jaishankar receives U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s Admiral John Aquilino in New Delhi on the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue.

“I want to emphasise the defining feature of our partnership – the Quad stands for our affirmative vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), in which we collectively build the capacity of our allies and partners. The Quad is not about forcing the region to choose between strategic competitors. It is about preserving and creating options so that communities, institutions and countries can make decisions to benefit their people,” he added.

Australian FM Penny Wong, who addressed the session virtually, stressed the positive impact of Quad in the Indo-Pacific, saying, “We’ve maintained strong momentum in offering but never imposing transparent valued public goods. that responded to priorities.”

“I described the quad is a lighthouse, which brings together our countries to illuminate a positive vision for the Indo-Pacific,” she added.

Raisina Dialogue is India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was the chief guest and keynote speaker at the ongoing 9th Raisina Dialogue. He inaugurated the dialogue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 21. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Jaishankar Stresses Broad Engagement with Russia

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US Passes Quad Bill to Bolster Partner Ties

This bill instructs the US State Department to initiate efforts to form a working group with Japan, Australia, and India to promote enhanced collaboration on common interests and values….reports Asian Lite News

The United States House of Representatives on Thursday (local time) passed the ‘Quad Bill’ which aims to establish a working group for bolstering cooperation between the partner countries.

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, also known as the Quad, is a coalition comprised of the United States, Japan, Australia and India.

This bill directs the US State Department to seek to establish a working group with Japan, Australia, and India to facilitate closer cooperation on shared interests and values.

It also requires the State Department to report to Congress a strategy for bolstering engagement and cooperation with the Quad.

The strategy shall address cooperation on issues including; preparing for the next pandemic, co-developing new innovative technologies, and deepening economic engagement and integration, according to the US House of Representatives website.

US Representative Gregory Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee welcomed the overwhelming passage of the bill and said that Quad has been integral to promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“I am proud to have advanced my legislation, the Strengthening the Quad Act, through the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue between the United States, Japan, Australia and India has been integral to promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific, advancing US interests in the region, and bolstering our national security,” Meeks said in a statement.

“My legislation works to ensure the Quad’s success and longevity by calling on the State Department to develop a strategy on bolstering democratic coordination in the Indo-Pacific region, and establishes a Quad Intra-Parliamentary Working Group to facilitate greater engagement and cooperation among the four legislatures,” he added.

Quad is a plurilateral framework comprising India, Australia, Japan, and the USA, with a shared commitment to upholding a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

Notably, the next Quad Leaders’ Summit is proposed to be held in India in 2024, but the dates are yet to be decided. (ANI)

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Quad Allies Join Forces to ‘Detect and Deter’ Cyber Threats

The Quad members–India, Australia, Japan and the United States–discussed the importance of enhanced cooperation in the field of cybersecurity while reaffirming an Indo-Pacific that is resilient and equipped against cyberattacks.

The third in-person Quad Senior Cyber Group (QSCG) Principal Meeting took place in Tokyo on December 5-6. The National Cyber Security Coordinator, Lt General MU Nair, represented New Delhi at the meeting.

Along with him, Hamish Hansford, Deputy Secretary Cyber and Infrastructure Security of Australia’s Home Affairs; Keiichi Ichikawa, Deputy National Security Advisor and Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan; and Anne Neuberger, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology participated at the event.

“Together, we reaffirm our steadfast commitment to an Indo-Pacific that is resilient and equipped to detect and deter cyber-attacks,” read the joint statement of the Quad Senior Cyber Group.

It added that the Quad countries are among the world’s leaders in advancing digital technology, connectivity, and resilience and are undertaking efforts to provide capacity building in the Indo-Pacific region to strengthen the ability to defend their government networks and critical infrastructure from cyber disruptions.

The Quad partners also reaffirmed the application of international law to cyberspace and expressed serious concern about cyberattacks in the region on critical infrastructure. They also welcomed progress on the Quad cyber initiatives.

“We reaffirmed our support for the Quad Cybersecurity Partnership: Joint Principles, including through work done in Secure Software, Cybersecurity of Critical Infrastructure, Supply Chain Resilience and Security, and Cyber Awareness through the Quad Cyber Challenge events to encourage participants across the Indo-Pacific to enhance their cyber security and cyber awareness,” the joint statement read.

During the meeting, the Quad partners welcomed the idea of sharing cyber resources through capacity-building projects to improve the security of infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific.

Quad Leaders Summit in Hiroshima.

They all recognised that a safe and secure cyberspace contributes to a healthy and secure society and that international cooperation is key to this.

The Quad partners shared their recognition that cyberattacks have been increasing in frequency and sophistication.

In the wake of this, they discussed the importance of enhanced cooperation in securing the resilience of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) systems in critical infrastructure, ensuring mutual recognition of Quad nations’ labelling schemes for cybersecurity of Internet of Things (IoT) products, and the use of critical and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.

They also reaffirmed the need for reliable, secure and resilient supply chains for critical sectors.

The Quad partners discussed fields of cooperation necessary to realise secure and resilient cyberspace in the region, including digital infrastructure and connectivity such as undersea cables, telecommunications networks, and cloud services.

They affirmed their commitment to continue working together with Indo-Pacific countries to deliver practical outcomes that will support capacity building in the region through the QSCG.

“We reaffirm our commitment to leveraging Quad partners’ respective strengths and resources to progress Quad cyber initiatives to promote a more secure cyber space and deliver Quad Leaders’ vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient, with a focus on the next Quad Leaders’ Meeting,” the statement added. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Jaishankar lauds India, Australia partnership in Quad format  

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Jaishankar lauds India, Australia partnership in Quad format  

In his remarks at the India-Australia 2+2 Defence and Foreign Ministerial Dialogue, Jaishankar recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese met five times in 2023...reports Asian Lite News

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the bilateral relationship between India and Australia has grown rapidly and noted that it has larger implications for the region. He called the partnership between India and Australia in Quad format “very beneficial” for bilateral relations and the Indo-Pacific region.

In his opening remarks at the India-Australia 2+2 Defence and Foreign Ministerial Dialogue here in the national capital, Jaishankar said, “When it comes to the 2+2, I’d like to make a few points for our collective consideration. One, that our bilateral relationship has certainly grown rapidly, but that it has larger implications for the region, and a lot of other countries look to us and to our relationship in many ways as a factor of stability and security.” “Second, this has happened at a time when there is increasing uncertainty in the world.

We are seeing sharper polarization, deeper stresses today, and while it is important to ensure that the routine is there for the region to feel safer, we have to build and we have to act for stability on a daily basis,” he added. Jaishankar acknowledged that India and Australia face “exceptional challenges,” including regional and global, and many of them involve challenges to the rule of law. He noted that India and Australia also work with a few other nations in trilaterals. “Third, we do face exceptional challenges, some regional, some global; many of them involve challenges to the rule of law, and as comprehensive strategic partners, it is important to also plan for those exceptions. And these could be man-made exceptions, but these could be HADR situations where, again, it’s important that we have a culture of cooperation in order to respond,” Jaishankar said.

“Our partnership in the Quad format has been very beneficial for the Indo-Pacific region and indeed for our own bilateral relationship. And of course, we work with a few other countries in trilaterals as well. Trilaterals with Indonesia and France come to mind,” he added.

In his remarks at the India-Australia 2+2 Defence and Foreign Ministerial Dialogue, Jaishankar recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese met five times in 2023. He stressed that the two nations held the first-ever annual summit in March this year and called it a “noteworthy development.” EAM Jaishankar said, “Let me also echo the sentiment that it’s been an exceptional year for our relationship, and I see that our prime ministers have actually met five times this year, thrice in each other’s countries, and on two other occasions as well. And we’ve had our first-ever annual summit in March this year. So that is also a very noteworthy development.”

“When one looks at milestones, the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) entered into force last December, and we are seeing its economic implications unfold this year in terms of a trade increase. The migration and mobility partnership arrangement was signed, and we reached a mutual recognition of qualifications. Both are very important steps, I think, for the further development of our relationship. And we can see today that a million-strong Indian community and 100,000+ Indian students really form a living bridge between our two countries,” he added.

The India-Australia 2+2 Defence and Foreign Ministerial Dialogue is being co-chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles, and Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong. Meanwhile, Penny Wong said that Australia deeply values its bilateral relationship, economic ties, two-way trade and investment, and people-to-people links with India. She called the partnership with India “consequential” for Australia. In her opening remarks at the India-Australia 2+2 Defence and Foreign Ministerial Dialogue, Penny Wong noted that the two nations have done a lot together bilaterally and hope to do more. She recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Australia. Penny Wong said, “It’s a real honour to be here for the two plus two. It’s been a big year in the bilateral relationship, I think, since we were elected to took some 19 ministerial visits to India by our government. We’ve obviously had Prime Minister Modi’s state visit to Australia which was so welcomed.” (ANI)

ALSO READ-India, Australia discuss expansion of defence ties

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Quad’s Malabar exercise set to kick off in Australian waters

Australian PM during his March visit earlier also noted that Last year, India and Australia conducted more exercises, operations and dialogues than ever before…reports Asian Lite News

The latest edition of the Malabar exercise is all set to commence in the Australian waters from August 11-21 that will see the participation of the United States, Japan, India and Australia.

Australia is also the host for this mega event which is being hosted there ‘for the first time’.

The ten-day exercise aims to deepen the interoperability between the key partners, Australia, India, Japan and the United States who are also members of the Quad or the Quadrilateral security dialogue.

The exercise is also designed to deepen the partnership for the Indo-Pacific, for shared aspiration, for a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific and it will be followed immediately afterwards by AUSINDEX, the bi-annual naval exercise between India and Australia.

The Malabar series of exercises began as an annual bilateral naval exercise between India and the US in 1992. Japan joined the Naval Exercises in 2015. Malabar 2020 saw the participation of the Australian Navy also.

Malabar exercise is a navy-led exercise that will witness the participation of the navies from all four countries. Two major Australian ships HMAS Brisbane and HMAS Choules will perform an entry into the Sydney Harbour. The vessels and the aircraft will then proceed out to an exercise area off the coast of New South Wales.

The Indian Navy will be represented by its multi-role stealth frigate, INS Sahyadri and indigenous destroyer INS Kolkata.

A destroyer from the United States will be seen along with a major surface vessel from Japan. There’s a large designated and gazetted exercise area which is referred to as the East Australian exercise area which will witness this high-voltage exercise. Though Malabar has four countries as participants, there are no plans or discussions on its expansion at the moment.

During his India visit in March this year, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced his country will host Exercise Malabar. Albanese was received onboard INS Vikrant by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar with a Guard of Honour. The Australian PM said his visit reflected his government’s commitment to place India at the heart of Australia’s approach to the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

Malabar exercise which represents one of the most complex naval activities that the four nations do together is also the capstone exercise that builds on a number of the bilateral excercises that the countries do with each other around the world.

China has been suspicious about the purpose of the Malabar exercise as it feels that the aim is to contain its influence in the Indo-Pacific region, but this exercise is not directed at any country and hence isn’t a China exercise per se since it is not a military or the defence arm of the Quad.

Notably, the Indo Pacific region has been subject to significantly enhanced strategic competition. And all partners of this exercise are determined to see greater strategic equilibrium and their purpose is to make sure that there is some concrete action beyond the words and talks.

Even as Beijing alleges that the Quad is aimed at it, the grouping has maintained that it is not intended ‘against China’.

Earlier in March this year, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Quad is not a military grouping adding it is now engaged in working together to help countries to deal with humanitarian situations in natural disasters.

“We are working on things that are really critical,” Blinken said at a panel discussion of the Quad Foreign Ministers themed ‘The Quad Squad: Power and Purpose of the Polygon’ in the national capital in March this year.

Australia and India have seen an exponential increase in defence cooperation. Exercising has been both more frequent, and complex and that is an aspiration that both countries are determined to see continue. Since, the United States and Japan will send only one warship each, its important to understand in which context Malabar has been scheduled this year, and the size of exercises and ships numbers shouldn’t equate with complexity the important thing here to understand is, what those ships and what those men and women inside those ships and aircraft are doing together.

Australian PM during his March visit earlier also noted that Last year, India and Australia conducted more exercises, operations and dialogues than ever before.

The strategic importance of the India-Australia partnership is increasing and there has never been a point in both countries’ histories where they have had such a strong strategic alignment, Albanese said. There has never been a busier or more productive time in the bilateral defence and security partnership and 2023 will be “busier than ever” in this area, he added.

During PM Modi’s visit to Australia in November 2014, both sides decided to extend defence cooperation to cover research, development and industry engagement and agreed to hold regular meetings at the level of the Defence Minister, conduct regular maritime exercises and convene regular service-to-service talks.

The fourth edition of AUSINDEX was held during between September 7 and 10, 2021 in Australia at Off Darwin. Navies of India, Australia, Japan and the USA also participated in Phase I of Exercise Malabar 2021, from August 26 to 29, 2021 off Guam and in Phase II in the Bay of Bengal from October 12 to 15, 2021.

India also participated as an Observer in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021 in July 2021. India-Australia Joint Military Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2022 was held in Rajasthan from November 28-December 11, 2022 between Indian Army and the Australian Army, the first exercise in the series of AUSTRA HIND with the participation of all arms and services contingent from both armies.

Australia and India have also built links between their defence forces through regular personnel and training exchanges, such as short specialist courses and longer-term higher education positions. Every year, Australia sends officers to attend India’s premiere military educational institutions.

India also sends four officers to study in Australia annually. Inaugurated in 2023, General Rawat India – Australia Young Defence Officer Exchange Program offers the opportunity each year for fifteen young officers from across Army, Navy, and Air Force, to learn more about each other’s training, operational environments and culture.

In 2023, 15 young Australian Defence Officers travelled to India and in 2024 it is expected that 15 young Indian Armed Forces officers will travel to Australia, to study Australian Defence capability and culture. (By Ayushi Agarwal/ANI)

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Global South on focus as India’s busy diplomatic season kicks off

(ANI Photo)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to become voice of Global South as India is going ahead full throttle in the next few months with parallel initiatives to expand its global footprint, reports Ateeth Sharma

In tune with high-profile international gatherings at home during its ongoing G20 presidency, India is going ahead full throttle in the next few months with parallel initiatives to expand its global footprint.

Fresh from his three-nation tour of Japan, Papua New Guinea, and Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a packed schedule ahead as he gives a fresh impetus to India’s bilateral and multilateral efforts to find common ground among members of various groupings and forums in an increasingly polarized political landscape.

Next week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to participate in the Meeting of BRICS Foreign Ministers in Cape Town that will also shape the agenda for the 15th BRICS Summit to be held in Johannesburg from August 22 to 24 this year.

Hosted by South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, the mid-term meeting provides an opportunity for Foreign Ministers of Brazil, Russia, India, and China to reflect on regional and global developments.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping (Photo: PIB)

More significantly, with the theme for South Africa’s BRICS chairship being ‘BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism’, as many as 15 Foreign Ministers from Africa and the Global South have also been invited for a ‘Friends of BRICS’ meeting to be held on June 2.

The August meeting will be the first in-person gathering of BRICS leaders in three years where PM Modi will carry forward his vision of utilising India’s current G20 presidency to give resonance to the voice of the Global South and the importance of South-South Cooperation to collectively shape the global agenda.

The BRICS brings together some 3.2 billion people and, after the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement, is among the largest bloc of countries in terms of population.

During India’s ongoing G20 Presidency, participation from Africa is the highest ever, which includes South Africa (G20 member), Mauritius, Egypt, Nigeria, AU Chair – Comoros, and African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD).

Much before that, under India’s chairmanship, New Delhi will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on July 3-4 which is expected to see in-person participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and several other top leaders.

The SCO comprises India, China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan, covering most of Eurasia. Iran will soon become the ninth member of the grouping while the process of Belarus’ admission to the organisation has been accelerated.

The extensive interactions between the top leaders will continue as India will host the G20 Leaders’ Summit on September 9-10 during its presidency.

The Group of Twenty (G20) comprises 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States) and European Union.

The G20 members represent around 85% of the global GDP, over 75% of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

The much-awaited event will see the participation of Heads of Government (HOGs), Heads of States (HOSs), Heads of International Organisations (HOIOs) and representatives of several guest countries.

In between all these multilateral engagements and a jampacked domestic schedule, PM Modi will embark on two key bilateral visits over the next two months.

US President Joe Biden will host the Indian Prime Minister for an Official State Visit to the United States, which will include a state dinner on June 22.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with US President Joe Biden at the White House.

“The upcoming visit will affirm the deep and close partnership between the United States and India and the warm bonds of family and friendship that link Americans and Indians together,” said the White House recently.

Following that, PM Modi will attend this year’s Bastille Day Parade as Guest of Honour on July 14 in Paris at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.

“Prime Minister’s visit is expected to herald the next phase in the France-India Strategic Partnership by setting new and ambitious goals for our strategic, cultural, scientific, academic, economic cooperation, including in a wide range of industries,” stated a joint India-France statement.

The unstoppable Indian juggernaut will roll onto 2024 with full force – a year which will witness PM Modi hosting leaders of the US, Australia, and Japan for the first-ever Quad Leaders’ Summit in India.

(India Narrative)

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Quad summit in Hiroshima could be the shortest yet

The cancellation of Biden’s Australia visit has raised questions about America’s commitment to the Quad….writes Yaswant Raj

The third in-person Quad summit that was to take place in Australia earlier is now being held in Japan’s Hiroshima on Saturday. Scheduled to last only 40 minutes, it will perhaps be the shortest summit yet of the body that has been seen as the Indo-Pacific bulwark against rising China.

US President Joe Biden, Prime Ministers Narendra Modi of India, Anthony Albanese of Australia and Fumio Kishida of Japan will meet on the sidelines of the ongoing G-7 summit, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who is travelling with the US delegation in Japan, said Friday.

“Along with sharing strategic assessments, the leaders will welcome new forms of Quad cooperation on secure digital technology, submarine cables, infrastructure capacity building, and maritime domain awareness,” Jean-Pierre said further, adding, “President Biden thanks Prime Minister Albanese, as well as the Prime Ministers of Japan and India, for their flexibility, and he looks forward to rescheduling his trip”.

Biden was earlier to travel to Australia from Japan for a bilateral summit with Albanese and a Quad summit, joined by Modi and Kishida. But he cancelled that leg as, the White House has said, he needs to be back in Washington to negotiate a budget deal with Republicans to raise America’s debt limit and prevent it from defaulting, which could have grave consequences not only for the US but the world at large. The two sides have until June 1 to come to an agreement.

The cancellation of Biden’s Australia visit has raised questions about America’s commitment to the Quad, which has had a checkered history – taking off as a group to organise relief and rehabilitation efforts in the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami, it fell apart in 2008 as Australia bolted, caving in to Chinese pressure; it was resurrected by the Donald Trump administration with an officials-level meeting in 2017 and it grew rapidly to meetings of the Foreign Ministers of the four countries and to a summit-level meeting in January 2021, although it took place virtually.

The first in-person summit-level meeting took place in September 2021 in Washington DC and it lasted over 2 hours, according to a schedule released at the time by the White House of the president’s engagements. Biden and Modi were joined by then Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and then Japanese premier Yoshihide Suga.

It was also a convenient time for the summit to take place in the US as the leaders were all expected to be in the the country for the annual UN General Assembly meetings in New York. Biden also held his first in-person bilateral meetings with each of the three leaders, having taken charge earlier in the year.

The second in-person Quad summit took place in May 2022 in Tokyo. And the four leaders spent considerable time together, according to the White House schedule of the US President. Biden, Modi, Albanese and Kishida first met as a group for 2 hours and then together launched an application for the Quad Fellowship and carried on for a working lunch.

The third in-person summit, which is taking place in Hiroshima on the sidelines of the G-7 summit joined by invited leaders of non-member countries such as India and Australia, is scheduled to start at 8.05 p.m. local time, according to a White House schedule, and the president and first lady Jill Biden are scheduled to leave together for a dinner with G-7 and invited leaders at 8.45 p.m.

ALSO READ: Quad leaders meet likely in Japan

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Quad leaders meet likely in Japan

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday said that the Quad leaders meeting in Sydney next week will not go ahead after US President Joe Biden cancelled his visit to Australia…reports Asian Lite News

India is planning for a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) leaders meeting in Japan on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said on Thursday.

While addressing the special briefing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to three-nation countries, Kwatra said, “We are also planning Quad leaders meeting in Hiroshima with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, President of the US Joe Biden, Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese, and of course our Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” This statement came after the Quad summit, scheduled to take place on May 24 in Australia, was called off.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday said that the Quad leaders meeting in Sydney next week will not go ahead after US President Joe Biden cancelled his visit to Australia.

Meanwhile, in the special briefing, Kwatra further said that PM Modi is also scheduled to unveil a bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Hiroshima.

Giving details about PM Modi’s Japan visit, the Foreign Secretary said that at the invitation of the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, PM Modi will be travelling to Hiroshima, Japan tomorrow morning, May 19 to participate in the G7 Summit, where India has been invited as a guest country.

This would be the first leg of the Prime Minister’s three-country visit.

“The broad terms of the G 7 Summit preferences, in particular regarding their outreach with the invited guest countries, are one-on nuclear disarmament, two-on economic resilience and three-economic security, fourth-regional issues, fifth-climate and energy, food and health and development,” Kwatra said.

“There are other priorities also, such as digitization and science and technology, which would get highlighted in various sessions during the G Seven Summit,” he added.

The Foreign Secretary further informed that India’s participation would be structured around three formal sessions. Two of them would be held on May 20 and the third one on May 21. The two structural sessions on the 20th are the first one that relates to food, health, development and gender equality. The second session is on climate, energy and environment, and the third session on May 21 is titled Towards Peaceful, Stable, and Prosperous World.

The Prime Minister will then travel to Papua New Guinea to host the third Summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation jointly with his Papua New Guinea counterpart James Marape on May 22.

In Papua New Guinea, Prime Minister will begin his bilateral engagements the next day with a call on the Governor General of the Pacific island country, which will be followed by a meeting with Prime Minister James Marape. This will be Prime Minister’s first visit to that country during his stay in Port Moraspi.

Kwatra further stated that Prime Minister will also be meeting the Prime Minister of New Zealand during his stay in Papua New Guinea. This would be the first meeting between both the Prime Minister after Chris Hipkins became the new Prime Minister of New Zealand, who was sworn in earlier in January. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Quad Navies to participate in Malabar 2023 exercise

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Quad Navies to participate in Malabar 2023 exercise

The Navy official said that the navies of the US, India, Australia, and Japan will take part in Malabar 2023 exercises from August 11 to 21…reports Asian Lite News

The navies of Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) members will take part in Malabar 2023 exercises in Australia in August.

The Navy official said that the navies of the US, India, Australia, and Japan will take part in Malabar 2023 exercises from August 11 to 21. This will be the fourth time that all four nations have participated in Malabar to advance the collective planning, integration and employment of advanced warfare tactics between participating nations.

Last year, Japan hosted Australia, India, US in Naval Exercise Malabar.

Last year’s at-sea exercise includes a variety of high-end tactical training events, submarine integration, anti-submarine warfare training, air defence exercises, multinational replenishment-at-sea operations, communications drills, joint warfighting planning scenarios, gunnery exercise, and maritime interdiction operations, according to the statement released by US Embassy in India.

“This exercise represents an outstanding opportunity for our like-minded maritime forces to work together, demonstrating our shared commitment to the region and collaborative approach toward security and stability,” said Rear Adm. Michael Donnelly, Commander Task Force 70 (CTF-70)/Carrier Strike Group Five (CSG 5).

“Now, it is more important than ever for the forward-deployed Carrier Strike Group to work closely with other maritime forces and deter all who challenge a free and open Indo-Pacific,” he added.

Last year, Indian Navy surface units participating include a Shivalik-class FFG, Kamorta-ClassCorvette, a P-8I aircraft, and Marine Commandos (MARCOS) personnel.

“Participation in high-end maritime exercises, such as Exercise Malabar, demonstrates Australia’s commitment to working with strategic partners in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Rear Admiral Jonathan Earley, CSC, RAN, Commander of the Australian Fleet.

“This exercise contributes to regional security by deepening professional relationships among India, Japan and the United States to build interoperability in the maritime domain,” Earley added, according to the official release.

Meanwhile, India is planning for a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) leaders meeting in Japan on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said on Thursday.

While addressing the special briefing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to three-nation countries, Kwatra said, “We are also planning Quad leaders meeting in Hiroshima with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, President of the US Joe Biden, Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese, and of course our Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” This statement came after the Quad summit, scheduled to take place on May 24 in Australia, was called off. (ANI)

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Quad meet cancelled after Biden calls off Australian trip

Albanese said that it was still possible that PM Modi and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida will visit Australia next week….reports Asian Lite News

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday said that the Quad leaders meeting in Sydney next week will not go ahead after US President Joe Biden cancelled his visit to Australia while adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Sydney next week.

Albanese said the leaders of Australia, the US, India and Japan -the Quad grouping- would now likely meet on the sidelines of the G7 in Japan this weekend Australian media network ABC News reported. Albanese said Biden had told him that he was “disappointed” as he was unable to visit Australia and that the Quad leaders would instead try to gather on the sidelines of the G7 leaders meeting in Hiroshima.

“All four leaders President Biden, Prime Minister Kishida, Prime Minister Modi and myself will be at the G7, held in Hiroshima on Saturday and Sunday. We are attempting to get together over that period of time [and] I’ll have a bilateral discussion with President Biden,” he said in a press conference.

“At this stage, we haven’t got a time locked in for that arrangement,” he added.

Albanese said that it was still possible that PM Modi and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida will visit Australia next week.

“We are in discussions with the Quad leaders over today. We’ll make further announcements about that, but Prime Minister Modi would certainly be a very welcome guest here next week,” he said.

“Prime Minister Kishida, of course, we had bilateral meetings at the end of last year, just a few months ago, in Perth that was very successful,” he added.

Albanese termed the relationship with Japan “very important”. He also recalled receiving the “warmest of welcomes by Prime Minister Modi in India in March.”

Meanwhile, earlier in an interview with ABC News responding to a question regarding the Quad meeting Australian PM Albanese said, “No, just the US President’s visit is postponed. So that will occur at some time in the future. We will be talking with our partners about the Quad meeting over the next day.”

In the interview on ABC Sydney Breakfast with James Valentine, Albanese said that the meeting with a US representative at a senior level could take place. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Australia and he has a bilateral program. Quad meeting is scheduled to take place on May 24.

Responding to the question whether the meeting could still occur in Sydney with India and Japan, Albanese said, “Yes that’s right, and with a representative of the United States at a senior level, as well, could occur. Prime Minister Modi has a bilateral program that is organised so I’m certain that he will be here. And, of course, we have a very large growing diaspora here in Australia and there are events including a large event at Kudos Arena to be held next Tuesday night.”

Asked about when he heard about Biden’s postponing his visit to Australia, Albanese said that he spoke to Biden before 6 am this morning. He said that they have an issue regarding the potential hold-up of the budget in their parliamentary process that the US will have in the Congress and the Senate.

Albanese said that the deadline for resolving the impasse regarding the debt ceiling is June 1 and Biden told him that the week before June 1 will be “critical” and that he will be postponing his trip to Australia. He said that Biden has confirmed his invitation to the US for a state visit later this year. Australian PM said that he and Biden will have a bilateral meeting in Hiroshima.

White House earlier today announced that President Joe Biden had cancelled his planned trip to Australia and Papua New Guinea. However, Biden will attend the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Hiroshima, Japan this week. (ANI)

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