On Friday Morning, PM Narendra Modi attended a bilateral meeting with U.S President Joe Biden. It was PM Modi’s first visit to the U.S since Joe Biden took to office.
Another highlight of the day was PM Modi’s arrival at the White House for the first in-person Quad Leader’s Summit.
For the first day of the tour i.e. on Thursday, PM Modi had a bilateral meeting with U.S Vice President Kamala Harris. Other engagements for the first day included meeting with the CEOs of five multi-national companies and Australian and Japanese counterparts.
For the third and last day of the visit, PM Narendra Modi will address the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
QUAD LEADER’S SUMMIT
In the QUAD Summit 2021, PM Modi spoke with U.S President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrisson, and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. The QUAD Summit took place at the East Room in the White House.
On Friday, PM Modi said that the QUAD will work as a ‘force for global good.’ Why? Since the cooperation between the four countries will ensure peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region. Also, it will ensure peace and security in the entire world.
Before attending the Summit, PM Modi mentioned that the four countries are meeting for the second time. When was the first? Well, the first time the four QUAD countries met after the disastrous Tsunami of 2004 to help the Indo-Pacific region. Now, they are meeting for the second time when the world is fighting against the global pandemic COVID-19.
Furthermore, PM Modi stated that the QUAD Vaccine Initiative will help Indo-Pacific countries. Also, PM Modi emphasized that he would love to discuss issues common to all the four Democratic. Some of the issues are supply change, global security, climate change, and the measures needed to curb the global pandemic. In this fashion, PM Modi justified his statement that the QUAD will act as a force, ‘for global good.’
Now you must be wondering why PM Modi made just a statement on the objective of QUAD. Because of China’s criticism of the grouping.
On Friday morning, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian commented on the QUAD summit as a ‘close, exclusive clique targeting other countries.’
Joe Biden, the U.S President, mentioned that the concrete commitments by QUAD leaders are making good progress. Addressing from the East Room of the United Nations, Joe Biden announced a new fellowship for students. Under the fellowship program, students from each of the QUAD countries will get the opportunity to pursue advanced degrees in STEM programs in the U.S.
The Japanese Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga, mentioned that QUAD is an important initiative by the four nations. Why? Because all the four nations believe in fundamental rights. Suga emphasized the fact that to date, QUAD has given its cooperation in big sectors. Be it regional challenges or the Global Pandemic COVID-19.
Notably, China’s name was not mentioned by any of the leaders in the press conference. But, all four emphasized the need for a free and open Indo-Pacific Region.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrisson said that all the four nations stand in this initiative together. And, they wish the Indo-Pacific region to be always free from coercion. So, that it is a place where the sovereign rights of all the nations are respected. And where disputes should be solved peacefully, following international laws.
Also, read
http://Increase In Suicide Rate: Another Life Comes To An End
