The leaders of the Quad group of countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, U.S. President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met at their sixth summit level meeting at Archmere Academy, Mr Biden’s former school in Claymont, Delaware, to announce a broad range of outcomes. Quad Summit delivered a series of impactful announcements, focusing on collaboration across critical sectors like health, maritime security, and technology in the Indo-Pacific region.
QUAD Summit 2024 Highlights
Why In News
- The leaders of the Quad group of countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, U.S. President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met at their sixth summit level meeting at Archmere Academy, Mr Biden’s former school in Claymont, Delaware, to announce a broad range of outcomes. Quad Summit delivered a series of impactful announcements, focusing on collaboration across critical sectors like health, maritime security, and technology in the Indo-Pacific region.
What Is Quad?
- Quad stands for Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. It is a diplomatic partnership between four nations – Australia, India, Japan, and the US.
- The partnership is known formally as the ‘Quad’, not the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, “noting its nature as a diplomatic, not security, partnership”. Quad nations primarily focus on the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region. The Quad is “committed to supporting an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient,” the Australian government aid on its website.
Main Highlights
- The Elephant In The Room : Quad leaders just wrapped up their sixth summit in the US. Over there, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said they “are not against anyone”, and all of them “support a rules-based international order and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.” Could this statement hint at China’s aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific region. Modi’s remarks were viewed as a thinly veiled reference to China’s ongoing territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas, where it asserts claims of sovereignty.
- Watershed Arrangement : India, with the help of US Space Force, will set up its first semiconductor fabrication plant solely dedicated to national security, an initiative that will provide critical chips to the US military, allied forces, and India’s own defence sector.
- This significant development follows a key agreement between India and the United States. The new semiconductor plant is set to specialise in the production of advanced components for a range of crucial applications, including national security, next-generation telecommunications, and green energy technologies.
- The project will be driven by the India Semiconductor Mission, in collaboration with strategic partners Bharat Semi, 3rdiTech, along with the US Space Force, ensuring that the plant meets both Indian and American security needs.
- ‘Quad Cancer Moonshot’ will involve contributions from all four countries to combat cervical cancer. India will commit $ 10 million towards screening for the disease. Vaccine manufacturer, Serum Institute of India and Gavi will provide up to 40 million vaccines for the region, “subject to approvals”.
- Countries announced the Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission in 2025, to improve interoperability and maritime safety. Future coast guard missions are planned for after 2025. A logistics network pilot project was also launched, which will involve Quad countries sharing airlift capacity to support disaster response across the region.
- A Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI), to train Quad partners “to monitor and secure their waters, enforce their laws, and deter unlawful behaviour” was also announced. India will host the first MAITRI workshop in 2025.
- Building Resilient Infrastructure : “Quad Ports of the Future Partnership” is another major initiative designed to develop sustainable and resilient port infrastructure throughout the Indo-Pacific. This effort will ensure that ports remain operational during disruptions such as pandemics, natural disasters, and cyber or terrorist attacks. India will host the inaugural Quad Ports of the Future Partnership conference, bringing together the expertise of Quad members to promote best practices in maintaining port infrastructure.
- As part of its broader infrastructure development strategy, India also committed to hosting a capacity-building workshop with the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). This initiative focuses on enhancing the resilience of infrastructure against the backdrop of growing climate challenges in the region.
- Reforming Global Governance : A significant diplomatic achievement at the summit was the collective agreement to push for reforming the UN Security Council. The leaders recognized the urgent need to make the Council more representative, inclusive, and democratic. This reform seeks to expand both permanent and non-permanent membership categories, ensuring that the Security Council better reflects the realities of the modern world.
- India’s Role In Expanding Education And Clean Energy : Beyond the Quad’s collective initiatives, India announced individual efforts to foster development in the Indo-Pacific. India will offer scholarships for students from the region to pursue engineering degrees at its government-funded technical institutes. This educational initiative will help strengthen people-to-people ties and build the next generation of engineers equipped to handle future challenges.
Other Investments
- India committed to investing $2 million in solar projects in small island nations like Fiji, Comoros, Madagascar, and Seychelles. This investment underscores India’s focus on promoting clean energy and combating climate change, aligning with the broader Quad goal of advancing sustainable development. White House has announced that India will host the next summit of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) in 2025.
