Member countries of the Quadrilateral Framework (Quad) held a
virtual summit on Friday. Addressing the meeting, Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Premier Yoshihide Suga and Australian
Prime Minister Scott Morrison highlighted cooperation among the member
countries to beat the global COVID-19 pandemic, with joint partnership on
vaccines, and emphasized the need for an open and free Indo-Pacific region.
“We are united by our democratic values and our commitment
to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Our agenda, covering areas like
vaccines, climate change, and emerging technologies make the Quad a force for
global good. We will work together, closer than ever before on advancing our
shared values and promoting a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” said
Modi, who described the Quadrilateral Framework as an “important pillar of
stability in the region.”
The member nations agreed to ensure equitable access to
vaccines to counter the pandemic. A joint statement, titled ‘The Spirit of
the Quad’ said, “We will join forces to expand safe, affordable, and effective
vaccine production and equitable access to speed economic recovery and benefit
global health.”
Addressing the meeting, President Biden emphasized that the
Indo-Pacific region should be governed in accordance to human rights.
“And we're renewing
our commitment to ensure that our region is governed by international law,
committed to upholding universal values and free from coercion. We’ve got a big
agenda ahead of us,” said Biden.
Addressing the gathering, Morrison laid out the agenda of
the Quad in the near future and said, “We join together as leaders of nations
to welcome, what I think will be a new dawn in the Indo-Pacific through our
gathering.”
Prime Minister Suga acknowledged the new dynamism that Quad
has received because of the meeting of the top leaders of the member countries.
“With the four
countries working together, I wish to firmly advance our cooperation to
realise, a free and open Indo Pacific, and to make a tangible contribution to
the peace, stability, and prosperity of the region, including overcoming
COVID-19,” he said.
The ‘Quad’, has been taken to the apex level, said Foreign
Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla during a special briefing on the leaders’
summit.
“We are all committed to free and open, inclusive, secure
and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Today’s summit adopted a positive vision to
address contemporary issues with vaccine cooperation. Leaders agreed to
strengthen, peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Shringla, who
described the focus on the vaccines as the “most pressing”.
He informed that Japan, US and Australia will finance the
vaccine initiative that India has welcomed.
“We look forward to participating in the initiative
whole-heartedly. During the discussion there was wholesome appreciation of the
Vaccine Maitri initiative,” said Shringla.
The vaccine expert working group, a critical and emerging
technology working group, and a climate working group for technology, capacity
building and climate finance have been cleared during the summit. The Foreign
Secretary also said the Quad leaders have agreed to meet in person during the
coming months.
“The Quad does not stand against anything, it stands for
something,” said Shringla, explaining that Quad is a value-based grouping that
is trying to deal with the need for vaccines, climate change and other such
issues. He informed that the issue of military takeover in Myanmar came up
during the discussion among the leaders.
