In Japan, the Prime Minister will hold bilateral talks with US President Joe Biden apart from his counterparts from Australia, and Japan….reports Asian Lite News
Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Saturday said the Quad Summit 2022 in Tokyo will primarily focus on the issues of the Indo-Pacific region.
“One of the primary focuses of the Quad is the Indo-Pacific region and naturally when the leaders sit together they would talk about developments in the Indo-Pacific region, challenges in the Indo-Pacific region and the areas of concern,” he said in a special media briefing, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tokyo from May 22 to 24.
In Japan, the Prime Minister will hold bilateral talks with US President Joe Biden apart from his counterparts from Australia, and Japan.
The Foreign Secretary said that the leaders will also focus on opportunities that Quad countries and Quad countries, in partnership with other countries in the Indo-Pacific, need to work on.
“The issues of regional and global development will definitely be part of the conversation. I would not single out any one country or other in that respect,” Kwatra said.
During his visit, the Prime Minister will also address the Indian community and meet Japanese business leaders, Kwatra said.
On the issue of India banning wheat, he said India is extremely clear about the principles and needs of food security in the country which are paramount.
“Yet, at the same time, we are careful in ensuring the needs of economies, vulnerable to risks of food security, wherever possible are met,” he said.
“The summit in Tokyo is the fourth interaction of Quad leaders since their first virtual meeting in March 2021, the in-person summit in Washington last September and the third meeting held virtually in March this year,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
Quad is a key multilateral alliance consisting of India, Japan, Australia, and the US to ensure a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific region.
“The forthcoming Quad summit provides an opportunity for the leaders to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and on contemporary global issues of mutual interest,” Bagchi added.
In his meeting with Kishida, both leaders will get an opportunity to carry forward their conversations from the 14th Japan-Indian Annual Summit that was held in Delhi this year.
The Indian PM will participate in the Business Summit, and also address the Indian diaspora in Japan.
Modi will also meet Biden wherein the two leaders are expected to review the Indo-US strategic partnership, Bagchi said.
“The meeting will mark the continuation of the regular dialogue having interacted most recently in virtual mode on April 11 this year.”
“The two leaders are expected to review the India-US strategic partnership and follow up on discussions held during the Prime Minister’s bilateral meeting with President Biden last September. They will also exchange views on regional and global developments of shared interest,” Bagchi added.
In Modi’s meeting with Morrison, Bagchi said that the “two leaders, we would hope, would look at reviewing the India-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership and exchange views on issues of both global and regional developments”.
The last meeting between the two was held virtually on March 21 following which India-Australia economic cooperation and trade agreement was signed on April 2.