Tag: Quad

India important partner in rapidly shifting international dynamics, says US Defence Secy after talks with Rajnath Singh

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd James Austin III Saturday held delegation-level talks at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. During their meeting, the leaders spoke about wide-ranging defence cooperation, expanding military to military engagement, information sharing and cooperation in emerging areas of defence, and mutual logistics support, Singh said.

Issuing a joint statement, Singh said, “We’re determined to realise the full potential of comprehensive global strategic partnership.”

Singh said the two sides reviewed many bilateral, multilateral exercises and agreed to increase cooperation between the Indian and US militaries. “We reviewed many bilateral and multilateral exercises, and agreed to increase cooperation between the Indian military, US Indo-Pacific command, Centre Command & Africa Command. We’ve signed LEMOA, COMCASA & BECA agreements and we’ve agreed to realise their full potential,” he said.

US Defence Secretary James Austin said, “Our relationship is a stronghold of free and open Indo-Pacific region. PM Narendra Modi stated India stands for freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce in adherence to international law. This reaffirms our shared vision for regional security.”

Austin reaffirmed the US’ commitment to a forward-looking defense partnership with India and said, “India is an increasingly important partner in rapidly shifting international dynamics. I reaffirm our commitment to a comprehensive forward-looking defense partnership with India as a central pillar of our approach to the Indo-Pacific region.”

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and the three Services Chiefs were also present at the meeting.

Had fruitful talks with US Defence Secy, says Defence Min Rajnath Singh Singh said he had fruitful talks with US Defence Secretary James Austin and his delegation. (PTI Photo)

Earlier on Saturday, James Austin visited the National War Memorial at India Gate and was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour.

Austin’s arrival in New Delhi marks the first visit by a senior official of the Biden administration which came to power in January.

Austin arrived in New Delhi on Friday and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and conveyed Washington’s “strong desire” to further enhance the strategic partnership for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. He also conveyed the Biden administration’s “commitment towards strengthening the bilateral defence relations between the two countries”.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Modi “outlined his vision for the strategic partnership between the two countries and emphasized the important role of bilateral defence cooperation in India-US ties”.

The visit comes days after the first-ever summit of the leaders of the Quadrilateral grouping, the Quad. The March 12 summit was attended by Biden, Modi, Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morison.

Austin’s visit to India will be part of his first international tour after taking charge as Secretary of Defense. In a statement last week, the Ministry of Defence said: “Austin’s visit to India as part of his first overseas travel emphasizes the strength of the India-US strategic partnership”.

It stated that “both sides are expected to discuss ways to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and exchange views on regional security challenges and common interests in maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region”.

In his January 27 phone call to Rajnath Singh, Austin had also noted the “great strides” made in the US-India defence relationship, and had pledged to work with the Defence Minister to sustain progress.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Leave a comment , , , , , ,

Quad Meet an Extension of India’s Philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ as Democratic Values Unite Us, PM Modi Tells US, Oz, Japan

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


The Quad has come of age and its agenda covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies makes it a force for global good, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the first summit of the coalition. In his opening remarks, he also talked about shared values and promoting a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

“We are united by our democratic values, and our commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Our agenda today covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies makes the Quad a force for global good,” he said. The virtual summit was attended by US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

“I see this positive vision as an extension of India’s ancient philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which regards the world as one family,” Modi said. “We will work together, closer than ever before for advancing our shared values and promoting a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” he said.

The prime minister said the holding of the summit shows that the Quad has come of age and it will now remain an important pillar of stability in the region. In his remarks, Biden said there was a need to focus on generating domestic demand and driving sustainable global growth. He also talked about having an ambitious new joint partnership that is going to boost vaccine manufacturing and strengthen vaccinations to benefit the entire Indo-Pacific region.

“We are establishing a new mechanism to enhance our cooperation and raise our mutual ambition as we address accelerating climate change,” he said. The US president also mentioned the commitment to ensure that the region is governed by international law and it is free from coercion.

“I am optimistic about our prospects,” he said. The most significant among the deliverables envisaged in the summit is a coronavirus vaccine initiative that will allow new manufacturing capacity to be added in India for exports to the Indo-Pacific region, sources said.

President Joe Biden said on Friday that a “free and open Indo-Pacific is essential” to all and the US was committed to working with its partners and allies in the region to achieve stability. Biden also described the Quad as a new mechanism to enhance cooperation and raise mutual ambition as the member states address accelerating climate change.

“A free and open Indo-Pacific is essential to each of our futures, our countries,” Biden told the top leaders of the Quadrilateral alliance, which has been often projected in the Chinese official media as an alliance against China’s rise. This is a group particularly important because it is dedicated to the practical solutions and concrete results,” he said at the virtual summit, which is the first conclave of the top leaders of the Quad.

“We know our commitments…Our region is governed by international law, committed to all the universal values and free from coercion but I am optimistic about our prospect, he said, in an apparent reference to China which is flexing its muscles in the strategically vital region. “The Quad is going to be vital in our cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and I look forward to looking closely to working with all of you in the coming years,” Biden told the Quad leaders as he requested Prime Minister Modi to speak.

“It’s great to see you,” Biden, who is attending the summit less than two months after he took charge as US President, told Prime Minister Modi. The other Quad leaders expressed similar excitement and willingness to collaborate in the Indo-Pacific region.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison thanked President Biden for brining in the four nations together and said that ”history teaches us that we are nations engaged together in a partnership of strategic trust of common hope and shared values, much can be achieved. Stating that it will be the Indo-Pacific which will now shape the destiny of the world in the 21st century, Scott said that “as leaders of four great liberal democracies in Indo-Pacific let our partnership be the enabler of peace, stability and prosperity.”

Morrison said it was important to do so inclusively with the many nations in the region in order to respect and support their sovereignty, independence and security by upholding the values and supporting international law and to address many challenges from COVID to climate change. He said that Australia was ready to look into these tasks and do its share of heavy lifting.

Earlier, Morrison dubbed the meet as “a historic meeting of four leaders from these nations, which are such close friends. “There have been meetings of foreign ministers. There have been many other meetings. But when governments come together at the highest level, this shows a whole new level of cooperation to create a new anchor for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and working with important other partners in the region, and particularly the ASEAN nations and their view of the Indo-Pacific that so much informs our own,” he said.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga recalled the 2004 Tsunami disaster when Quad first member states came together. “We received massive support from the US, Australia, and India in our response to the disaster. Joe visited the affected area soon after the disaster, and I think you once again,” he said.

Known as the “Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, representatives for the four member nations have met periodically since its establishment in 2007. The Quad member states have been resolving to uphold a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the region.

The foreign ministers of the Quad countries held a virtual meeting on February 18 during which they vowed to uphold a rules-based international order underpinned by respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes. The evolving situation in the Indo-Pacific region in the wake of China’s increasing military muscle-flexing has become a major talking point among leading global powers. The US has been favouring making Quad a security architecture to check China’s growing assertiveness.

The foreign ministers of the Quad member nations met in Tokyo on October 6 last year and reaffirmed their collective vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. The Quad foreign ministers held their first meeting under the Quadrilateral or Quad framework in New York in September 2019.

In November 2017, India, Japan, the US and Australia gave shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the Quad to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Leave a comment , , , , , , , , ,

First Meet of Quad Heads Likely Soon, Joe Biden to Join Talks: Australian PM

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday indicated that the leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) block will hold their first meeting in the coming days. Amid Beijing’s rising influence, the US, Japan, India and Australia will seek to counter China and discuss ties in the Indo-Pacific region. “This will become a feature of Indo-Pacific engagement,” said Morrison.

While no final dates have been announced, the meeting is likely to be held virtually.

US President Joe Biden is going to be part of the talks. “This is one of the first things President Biden and Idiscussed when we spoke some weeks ago. And I spoke to Vice-President KamalaHarris just this past week,” ANI quoted Morrison.

Stressing on the importance of the ‘Quad’ meeting, the Australian prime minister said, ” The Quad is very central to the US and our thinking about the region, and looking at the Indo-Pacific also through the prism of our ASEAN partners and their vision of the Indo-Pacific. I am looking forward to that first gathering of the Quad leaders.”

Further, he expressed hopes that the talks would be followed by face-to-face meetings.

“The President and indeed, the Secretary of State, have made clear that their re-engagement in multilateral organisations, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, is key to building stability and peace in the Indo-Pacific. We share that view. We encourage that view. And we strongly welcome that view. And so I am looking forward to that first gathering of the Quad leaders. It will be the first-ever such gathering,” added Morrison.

‘Quad’ is a security grouping that is seen by many analysts as a group of democracies India, Japan, Australia and the United States coming together to counterbalance China in the Asia-Pacific region.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Leave a comment , , , , , , , ,