Modi to attend Tokyo Quad meet; to hold bilateral talks with Biden

New Delhi, May 19 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join US President Joe Biden and prime ministers of Australia and Japan at a summit of the Quad leaders in Tokyo on May 24 which is taking place amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Making the announcement of Modi’s participation at the summit, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Modi will also have bilateral talks with US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Modi is also likely to hold a bilateral meeting with his Australian counterpart.

“At the invitation of Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the third Quad Leaders’ Summit in Tokyo on 24 May 2022 along with President Joseph R Biden Jr. of the US and the Prime Minister of  Australia,” Bagchi said.

The summit in Tokyo is the fourth interaction among Quad leaders since their first virtual meeting in March 2021. They held an in-person summit in Washington in September last year and a virtual meeting in March.

“The forthcoming Quad summit provides an opportunity for the Leaders to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global issues of mutual interest,” Bagchi said at a media briefing.

“The leaders will review the progress of Quad initiatives and working groups, identify new areas of cooperation and provide strategic guidance and vision for future collaboration,” he added.

Asked whether India will back the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework proposed by Biden, Bagchi said New Delhi is examining it.

“This is an initiative of the US. We have received details of it and we are examining it. I would not be in a position to prejudge what might happen in Tokyo or in the future,” he said.

To a question, Bagchi said India attaches a lot of importance to Quad. The Quad has been focusing on cooperation in areas such as producing vaccines, connectivity projects, facilitating the mobility of students, and looking at promoting startups and technology collaboration.

The Quad vaccine partnership was announced in March last year with an aim to deliver one billion doses of vaccines to the Indo-Pacific region by the end of 2022.

Bagchi said Modi will have a bilateral meeting with Kishida, adding it will provide an opportunity for the two leaders to carry forward their conversations from the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit held in March when the Japanese prime minister visited India.

During the visit, Modi will participate in a business event with Japanese business leaders and also address and interact with the Indian community in Japan, the spokesperson said.

About Modi’s scheduled meeting with Biden on May 24, Bagchi said it will mark a continuation of their regular dialogue.

“The two leaders are expected to review the India-US Strategic Partnership and follow up on discussions held during the PM’s bilateral meeting with President Biden in September 2021. They will also exchange views on regional and global developments of shared interest,” he said.

Bagchi said Modi is likely to have a bilateral meeting with the prime minister of Australia, where elections are to be held on May 21.

“The two leaders are expected to review the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest,” he said.

“The last bilateral meeting between the two prime ministers was held virtually on March 21 followed by the signing of the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) on April 2,” Bagchi added.