Bloc opposes unilateral actions that seek to change status quo in region
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the Quad combine is following a constructive agenda for the Indo-Pacific and its image as a force “for the good” will be strengthened even more. Underlining this salient takeaway from the Quad summit in Tokyo, he also said “in such a short time, the Quad has made an important place on the world stage. Today, the scope of Quad has become wider and the forum has become effective.”
The Prime Minister made these assertions in the second in-person conclave in the presence of US President Joe Biden, Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Against the backdrop of China’s aggressive posturing in the strategically important Indo-Pacific, the four leaders of the Quad strongly opposed any coercive, provocative, or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo and increase tensions in the region. They also reaffirmed their resolve to uphold the international rules-based order.
In his address, Modi said the mutual trust and determination among the Quad member countries is giving new energy to democratic forces and the work of the grouping is encouraging a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
China has all along criticised this bloc and claims the Quad will lead to militarisation of the Indo-Pacific region.
“Quad is pursuing a constructive agenda for the Indo-Pacific region. With this, the image of Quad as a ‘force for good’ will be strengthened even more,” Modi said.
The summit took place against the backdrop of the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Though Biden and Kishida spoke strongly against the Russian military action, Modi refrained from touching upon the issue.
“In such a short time, the Quad has made an important place on the world stage. Today the scope of Quad has become wider and the form has become effective,” Modi said.
“Our mutual trust, our determination, is giving new energy and enthusiasm to the democratic forces. Our cooperation at the level of Quad is promoting a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, which is a common objective of all of us,” he added.
The Prime Minister also referred to increasing cooperation among the Quad nations notwithstanding the Covid-19 pandemic. “Despite the adverse conditions of Covid-19, we have increased mutual coordination in many areas like vaccine delivery, climate action, supply chain resilience, disaster response, and economic cooperation. This is ensuring peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
Modi also complimented newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and said his presence at the summit after 24 hours of taking the oath showed his commitment to Quad.
Biden spoke about the importance of the Quad in responding to Covid-19, partnering on supply chains among others, But much of his remarks focused on the war in Ukraine.
“We are navigating a dark hour in our shared history,” Biden said.
“Russia’s brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe. And innocent civilians are put into the streets and millions of refugees are internally displaced as well as exiled.”
The US President said the situation in Ukraine is more than just a European issue. “It’s a global issue. The fact is that when you turn on the television and see what Russia’s doing now, it appears to me that (President Vladimir) Putin is trying to extinguish a culture. He is not trying to hit military targets anymore, he is taking out every school, every culture, every natural history museum,” Biden said.
“As long as Russia continues this war we are going to be partners and lead a global response,” he added.
Kishida said it was important for the Quad leaders to get together to make a “firm commitment” to “a free and open Indo-Pacific”. Albanese said it was an honor that one of his first acts as prime minister was to attend the Quad meetings.
The Quad has been focusing primarily on ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific against the backdrop of China’s increasing muscle-flexing in the region. In line with its long-term vision for the region, Biden on Monday launched the ambitious Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), which is an initiative aimed at deeper cooperation among like-minded countries in areas like clean energy, supply-chain resilience, and digital trade.
Modi said the announcement of IPEF is a declaration of a collective desire to make the Indo-Pacific region an engine of global economic growth. The Prime Minister also called for finding common and creative solutions to tackle the economic challenges of the Indo-Pacific region.