Jaishankar Says Quad Force For Global Good, Committed To Stability In Indo-Pacific

Union minister S Jaishankar on Friday said that India is committed to developing robust bilateral relations with Quad member states and help achieve its vision of a free, open and fair Indo-Pacific. Jaishankar during the joint press conference echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words saying that Quad remains a force for global good. “Robust bilateral relations between Quad members, strategic convergences and shared democratic values have made Quad a vibrant and substantial framework. We are building an agenda for a free and open, inclusive Indo Pacific region,” Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar highlighted that Quad member states are working together to combat Covid. He said member-states have agreed to expedite delivery of safe and affordable vaccines as well as augment infrastructure to ensure last mile delivery. The union foreign minister also said that Quad nations will help Indo-Pacific nations in exchanging knowledge and critical technology, counter disinformation and uphold multilateral rules-based trading in the region. He also highlighted maritime security in the region as necessary for ensuring peace and stability. He further added that member-states will work to strengthen people to people interaction between students and think tanks of respective member-states.

He also held a meeting with US secretary of state Antony Blinken to review bilateral ties and review India-US partnership across several sectors.

Earlier in the day, India conveyed that it is ready to supply COVOVAX and CORBEVAX Covid-19 vaccines under the Quad vaccine partnership. The Quad vaccine initiative was instrumental in supplying more than 80 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to the Indo-Pacific nations since last year.

At the press conference, the foreign ministers also highlighted the threat of the Russia-Ukraine conflict escalating and Japan and Australia said both remain committed to Ukraine’s sovereignty as well as its territorial integrity.

Marise Payne, Australian foreign minister highlighted that coercive economic policies need to end and Quad will work to oppose such systems. “We oppose coercive economic policies and practices that run counter to this system and will work collectively to foster global economic resilience against such actions,” Payne said.

Japanese foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayasi, however, clearly outlined the threat Japan faces from aggressions seen in South China Sea and East China Sea along with nuclear threat posed by North Korea. Hayasi, without naming them, said that Quad leaders discussed these issues and will discuss them again when leaders meet in Japan later this year.

Myanmar’s issue was also discussed by the foreign minister and Jaishankar highlighted that the issue was concerning since  Myanmar has moved in a different direction. He said India remains concerned regarding Myanmar since it shares a border but highlighted that it does not follow a rule of national sanctions wheen foreign ministers were asked if they would take stricter measures to curtail the junta running the government in Myanmar.

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