QUAD countries have common vision, will take on key challenges of our age: US President Joe Biden

Washington DC: US President Joe Biden on Thursday (September 24) hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian PM Scott Morrison and Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga in the first-ever in-person QUAD Summit at the White House.

Opening the summit, President Biden said the four democracies have come together to take on common challenges from COVID-19 to climate.

“This group has democratic partners who share world views and have common vision for the future. We know how to get things done and are up to the challenge,” Biden said.

“When we met 6 months ago, we made concrete commitments to advance our shared and positive agenda for free and open Indo-Pacific. Today, I'm proud to say that they are making excellent progress,” he added.

The President hailed the US’ cooperation with India in the making and distribution of COVID vaccines.

“Our vaccine initiative is on track to produce an additional 1 billion doses of vaccine in India to boost global supply,” he said.

Biden also announced a fellowship programme for the students of the QUAD member nations to pursue advanced degrees in the US.

“Today, we are also launching a new QUAD fellowship for students from each of our Quad countries to pursue advanced degrees in leading stem programs here in the United States, representing an investment in the leaders, innovators and pioneers of tomorrow,” he said.

At the summit, PM Modi hailed QUAD as a force for global good. Addressing the meet, he stressed that the QUAD initiative will help Indo-Pacific nations in facing all major global challenges from COVID to trade to security.

“Our Quad vaccine initiative will help Indo-Pacific nations. Quad decided to go ahead with a positive approach on basis of our shared democratic values. I'd be happy to discuss with my friends - be it supply chain, global security, climate action, COVID response or tech cooperation,” said PM Modi at the Quad Leaders' Summit.

Australian PM Morrison said that the Indo-Pacific region should be free from coercion and disputes should be solved in accordance with international law.

"The Indo-Pacific has great challenges and challenges have to be overcome. In six months from the last meeting so much has been accomplished. We stand here together in the Info Pacific region," he said.

Japan PM echoed Morrison’s sentiments and called for a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“QUAD is a very important initiative by the four nations that believe in fundamental rights and are of the view that Indo-Pacific should be free and open,” he said.

The four leaders also talked about the climate crisis and advance practical cooperation on areas like combating COVID-19.