Seated clockwise from left, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga during QUAD Summit.
PM Modi in Quad Summit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose to speak in Hindi as he underlined how the four-nation grouping will ensure peace in Indo-Pacific region. In his opening remarks at first in-person Quad Summit held at the White House, PM Modi described group as a 'force for global good.'
"Supply chain, or global security, climate action or Covid response, or technology: I will be very happy to discuss these issues with my counterparts," Modi said, adding,"The Quad will work as a ‘force for global good."
US President Joe Biden's remarks
In his opening remarks, US President Joe Biden said the four democracies have come together to take on common challenges from Covid to climate.
"We know how to get things done and are up to the challenge," he said.
"Today, we're also launching a new quad fellowship for students from each of our five countries to pursue advanced degrees in leading Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programmes through the United States," Biden announced.
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Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Indo-Pacific region should be free from coercion and disputes should be solved in accordance with international law.
"The Quad is about demonstrating how democracies such as ours can get things done. There is no part of the world that is more dynamic than Indo-pacific at this time, Morrison said.
What Japanese PM said
Highlighting how the Quade nations have worked together to tackle big challenges such as Covid, Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga said, "Till date, Quad has given its absolute cooperation in big sectors, be it regional challenges or COVID-19 We cherish our shared values. Whether its regional issues or COVID, QUAD has addressed many of these issues. We will also be tackling issues of finance and tech."
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China fumes
Meanwhile, China has criticised the Quad, saying the formation of “exclusive closed cliques” runs against the trend of times, and it is “doomed to fail”.
"China always believes that any regional cooperation mechanism should not target a third party or harm its interests. Seeking exclusive closed cliques against a third country runs against the trend of the times and aspiration of countries in the region. It will find no support and is doomed to fail," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said.
India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's rising military manoeuvring in the region.
China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it.
Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea.
(With inputs from agencies)
