First QUAD Leaders Summit: 2021

Why in News?

On March 12, 2021, Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) was virtually joined by Prime Minister Narender Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in the first ever leader summit.

QUAD Group:

The QUAD group includes Australia, Japan, India, and The United State.
First QUAD Leaders Summit


QUAD Agenda:

  • Central Theme: Need for Open and Free Indo-Pacific Maritime
  • Join Partnership on Vaccine against COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Climate Change
  • Emerging and Critical Technologies

 

Vaccine Partnership:

1. QUAD will launch a partnership to further accelerate the end of COVID-19.
2. QUAD Leaders will assist countries in the Indo-Pacific with vaccination, in close coordination with existing multilateral mechanisms including WHO and COVAX.
3. QUAD partners are working to achieve expanded manufacturing of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines at facilities in India.
4. QUAD partners to provide life-saving vaccines for low income countries and countries in need.

Climate Working Group:

Cooperation among QUAD and with other countries, to strengthen implementation of the Paris Agreement 2015, including keeping a Paris-aligned temperature limit within reach.
Committing to advancing low-emissions technology solutions to support emissions reduction.

Critical And Emerging Technology:

  • Develop a statement of principles on technology design, development and use.
  • Facilitate coordination on technology standards development, including between our national technology standards bodies and working with a broad range of partners.
  • Encourage cooperation on telecommunications deployment, diversification of equipment suppliers, and future telecommunications, including through close cooperation with our private sector and industry.
 

QUAD Leaders View:

“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 Mr. Biden.
 
Addressing the gathering, Mr. 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.”
 
“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,” Prime Minister Suga said.
 
“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 Mr. Modi.


Why is QUAD Important?

The Indo-Pacific region has business as well as strategic importance. QUAD will not only address these issues but also protect interest of other nations in the region. QUAD will become an important pillar of stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

This is the first time that head of the states of these four countries joined the summit after three minister-level meetings. Ongoing efforts to combat COVID-19 and explore opportunities for collaboration in ensuring safe, equitable and affordable vaccines in the Indo-Pacific region also figured in the discussion. For free-and-open Indo-Pacific, it has become an important pillar of stability in the region.
QUAD Nations


About QUAD: 

What is QUAD?

QUAD is a strategic forum of four nations - India, US, Japan and Australia - for exchanging strategic intelligence and conducting joint military exercises. It was conceived for safeguarding shared security, environment, business and other interests in the Indo-Pacific region. The nations hold an annual military drill called 'Exercise Malabar'.

Evolution of QUAD:


  • The grouping traces its genesis to 2004 when the four countries came together to coordinate relief operations in the aftermath of the tsunami.
  • It then met for the first time in 2007 on the side-lines of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.
  • The intention was to enhance maritime cooperation between the four nations.


Source: PIB

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