iNDICA NEWS BUREAU –
US President Joe Biden remains committed to attending the annual Quad leaders’ summit in India later this year, despite ending his re-election bid, the White House confirmed on Thursday, July 25.
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, is a strategic partnership involving the United States, India, Australia, and Japan, aimed at strengthening cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
“We’re still committed to there being a Quad leader summit this year, but there’s nothing on the calendar right now for it,” White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby stated during a press briefing.
Kirby suggested that Biden’s decision not to seek re-election might create new opportunities in his schedule, allowing for greater flexibility in advancing his foreign policy agenda and addressing national security priorities.
The exact date for the Quad summit, which India is set to host, remains unannounced. Speculation suggests it may occur after the November US presidential elections.
Earlier plans to hold the summit in January 2024 were postponed when Biden declined an invitation to be the chief guest at India’s Republic Day parade, citing domestic concerns and the impracticality of making two trips to India in an election year.
In the interim, Quad diplomacy continues at other levels. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will represent India at the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting scheduled for July 29 in Tokyo, Japan. This meeting will review discussions from their previous gathering in New York, focusing on developments in the Indo-Pacific region and assessing progress on various Quad initiatives and working groups. The ministers plan to address regional and international issues, aiming to advance a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific and enhance collaboration to deliver public goods in the region.
The Quad, officially launched in 2007 by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has gained renewed importance in recent years. While member countries insist the partnership is not aimed at any particular nation, it is widely viewed as a counterbalance to China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific. China has protested against the Quad, terming it an “Asian NATO,” but the group emphasizes shared democratic values and aims to strengthen the rules-based order in the region.
Last year’s Quad summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 20, saw productive discussions among the leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and President Biden. They affirmed their shared values and strategic interests, reiterating the importance of upholding principles such as sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful dispute resolution. Modi invited Quad leaders to India for the 2024 summit, emphasizing the importance of consolidating the group’s constructive agenda and delivering tangible outcomes for the region.
The Quad’s significance has grown in response to various geopolitical developments, including China’s Belt and Road Initiative and regional provocations like the 2017 Doklam standoff between India and China. The partnership focuses on a range of issues beyond security, including economic cooperation, technological innovation, and addressing global challenges like climate change.
Kirby emphasized that despite Biden’s changed political status, pressing global issues remain at the forefront of the administration’s agenda. “We’ve still got a war in Ukraine, still got a war in Gaza, still got climate change to deal with. We’ve still got a very restless Indo-Pacific,” he noted, underlining the continued importance of international engagement.
