PM Modi along with President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attended the Quad Summit at President Biden’s hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, 100 miles north of capital, Washington DC, last weekend.
India was initially set to host the Quad summit this year but agreed to swap duties as Biden’s time in office will end in next two months. The leaders met ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York City this week.
The Delaware Summit is also seen by many analysts as an attempt by President Biden aiming to put a final stamp on an alliance he hopes will endure beyond his presidency. Or which might be referred to in the broader context of a Biden Doctrine. Concerns are also being raised about the fate of the Quad, if Trump returns to power.
QUAD Summit
At the summit, China and its actions in the South China Sea were first on the agenda. At the start of the discussion, Biden was caught in a hot mic moment and could be heard saying that Chinese President Xi Jinping is looking to “buy himself some diplomatic space, in my view, to aggressively pursue China’s interest.”
“We believe Xi Jinping is looking to focus on domestic economic challenges and minimise the turbulence in China diplomatic relationships,” Biden could be heard saying.
In a joint statement after the summit, the leaders of the Quad countries said that they are “seriously concerned” about China’s escalations in the South China Sea, without naming the country by name.
Biden emphasised that his administration views Beijing’s actions as a tactical shift rather than a fundamental change in strategy. The Quad leaders also unveiled a significant strategy to bolster maritime security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and pledged for lasting peace in Ukraine.
Prime Minister NarendraModi reaffirmed the Quad’s commitment to a rules-based global order, emphasising respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity. In his address, Modi said a free,........