Sudans’ military chief General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan accused U.S. envoy Massad Boulos of parroting talking points from Abu Dhabi, which has been widely accused of arming the RSF. The UAE denies the accusations. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Canberra:

India has seen “steady progress” in its ties with America over the last five presidencies, and its “relationship with the US will only grow” irrespective of the outcome of the US election, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday.

In response to a query during a joint press briefing with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong, Mr Jaishankar also expressed optimism about the future of the Quad, which comprises the US, India, Australia, and Japan.

Wong told reporters that Australia saw the four-nation grouping “retaining its importance regardless of the outcome of the election”.

Millions of Americans headed towards polling stations on Tuesday to elect the 47th President of the US, capping one of the most bitter presidential campaigns in the country’s history.

Democratic nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris, 60, and  Republican leader and former US president Donald Trump, 78, remained neck and neck in polls conducted by various media outlets.

The two ministers were asked if there was a concern about Trump winning the election and if the Quad would be affected under his presidency.

“We have actually seen steady progress in our relationship with the US over the last five presidencies, including an earlier Trump presidency. So, when we look at the American election, we are very confident that whatever the verdict, our relationship with the United States will only grow,” Mr Jaishankar told reporters.

“In terms of the Quad, I remind you that it was revived under a Trump presidency in 2017. It was then moved from the level of a permanent secretary to a minister, also during the Trump presidency,” he said.

“And, in fact, it’s interesting, in the midst of Covid, when physical meetings had stopped, one of the rare physical meetings of Foreign Ministers was actually of the Quad, in Tokyo, in 2020. So I think that should tell us something about the prospect of the Quad,” he added.

The US, Japan, India, and Australia had in 2017 given shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the “Quad” or the Quadrilateral coalition to counter China’s aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region.

The four-member Quad, or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, advocates upholding a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. China claims that the grouping aims to contain its rise.

Australian Foreign Minister Wong, in her response to the media query on Quad, said, “We both see, I don’t want to speak for Jai.., but on this, I can express a very similar view. We both see great importance in the Quad, it is an arrangement, a meeting, a grouping with countries that share very similar interests in the sort of region we want,” she said.

“And, having countries from different perspectives, obviously the US, India, Australia, Japan, it’s a very valuable strategic discussion,” she added.

She added that Canberra would see the grouping “retaining its importance regardless of the outcome of the election”.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the United States, which took place at a time when the world is confronting critical geopolitical, economic, technological, and climate challenges, marked yet another milestone in the relationship between the world’s two largest democracies. 

At a time of a swift global shift towards plurilateral approaches, the visit sought to put into action the “bold and audacious” commitments that Prime Minister Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden had made to forge one of the most defining and consequential bilateral relationships of this century.

A Deep Commitment

While the highlight of the visit was the Sixth QUAD Leaders’ Summit hosted by President Biden in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, bilateral ties received a huge boost from key announcements in areas such as semiconductors, space, advanced telecommunications, artificial intelligence, quantum, biotechnology, and clean energy. These landmark initiatives demonstrate a deep commitment towards realising the ambitious goals of the US-India Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership.

The QUAD, a strategic alliance of India, the United States, Australia, and Japan with a commitment towards maintaining a free and an open Indo-Pacific, has evolved into a critical force in implementing tangible initiatives across the Pacific, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean Region. The summit cemented cooperation across various sectors, including maritime security, health, cyber capabilities, climate security, semiconductor supply chains, and disaster preparedness. The launch of the QUAD Investors Network, designed to accelerate investments in critical and emerging technologies, coupled with the inaugural meeting of the QUAD Commerce and Industry ministers in coming months, underscores the vital role businesses are set to play within the Quad. 

Chipping In

Most notable, however, is the establishment of the first India-US semiconductor fabrication unit, focusing on advanced sensing, communication, and power electronics. Hailed as the first-ever national security semiconductor fabrication plant, it will produce chips for military applications, not only bolstering the supply chain ecosystem but also further cementing vital India-US defence ties.

The success and expansion of the US-India Defense Industrial Cooperation Roadmap through India’s planned procurement of 31 MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft, enhancing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities, is another key result of Prime Minister Modi’s visit. This, along with the establishment of a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul facility for C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, and initiatives like the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) underscores the deepening defence partnership between the two nations, essential for addressing current and future global security challenges. 

The Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), launched in 2023 by the two countries, acts as a crucial platform guiding responsible technological development globally and secures our countries’ technology supply chains. The recent meeting expanded this strategic cooperation through tangible actions, such as the mobilisation of millions of dollars in funds to support high-impact R&D partnerships between US and Indian universities and research institutions in the areas of semiconductors, next-generation communication systems, biotechnology, sustainability, connected vehicles, and green technologies and intelligent transportation systems and initiatives around advanced materials, quantum, and artificial intelligence.

On Clean Energy

The newly unveiled US-India Roadmap to Build Safe and Secure Global Clean Energy Supply Chains, with a commitment to unlock over $1 billion in multilateral financing, represents another historic opportunity for both nations to lead in renewable energy transition, energy storage, and zero-emission vehicles, while collaborations under the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership to accelerate the development of supply chains for critical minerals reflects a concerted effort towards operationalising this energy partnership. 

Industry across both countries has been playing a crucial role in operationalising these initiatives. While Indian companies are seeking access to investments and technologies, American companies already employing millions of Indians are keen to further dip into the vast Indian talent pool and the world’s biggest market. Prime Minister Modi emphasised the enormous potential of technological collaboration in his meeting with some of America’s top CEOs. This mutual growth can revolutionise the global technology landscape while driving shared India-US prosperity. 

Finally, deepening relations with the United States can be central to Prime Minister Modi’s vision to make India a developed nation by 2047. A bipartisan understanding of India’s importance in the world makes the U.S. an important stakeholder and player in India’s growth story. His latest visit not only strengthened the Quad, but also highlighted the alignment between the two nations even as it built new avenues and mechanisms of collaboration among all stakeholders. As India’s largest trading partner, the United States will be instrumental in providing the capital, expertise, and market access required for India to climb the global economic ladder.

(Rahul Sharma is the Managing Director at USIBC, and Aditya Kiran Kaushik is the Senior Director, Digital Economy, Media & Entertainment at USIBC.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

US President Joe Biden hosted the Prime Ministers of India, Australia, and Japan for the fourth in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit at his hometown, Wilmington, last week. This summit was seen as crucial for multiple reasons. First, it was the last one to be attended by Biden, a key architect of the grouping’s institutionalisation, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who played a pivotal role in adding political heft to the forum. Second, 2024 marks 20 years since the formation of the grouping. Third, and most importantly, the Wilmington summit further consolidated the grouping by expanding key areas of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Indeed, this summit has been successful in signalling – ‘The Quad is here to stay’.

At a time of highly complex global crises playing out in different parts of the world, the Quad leaders’ summit took place in the context of critical challenges and vital opportunities. With enduring wars in Europe and the Middle East, China’s belligerent activities in the Indo-Pacific region and emerging non-traditional security challenges in the region, the Quad had its task cut out. The Wilmington Declaration – the joint statement of the Quad leaders – amply addressed these critical questions.

The Wilmington Statement

The joint statement issued by the leaders of the Quad grouping in Wilmington exhibits continuity in responding to the war in Ukraine, reiterating the urgent need to put an end to the conflict and uphold the spirit of international law. Similarly, this year’s statement expressed concerns over ballistic missile launches conducted by North Korea and the need to prevent the proliferation of nuclear missiles and technologies. Additionally, the Wilmington Declaration focused on the ongoing conflict in Gaza as well.

The group shared its concerns over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza advocating for a sovereign, viable, and independent state of Palestine while remaining sensitive to the concerns of Israel. Apart from these, the statement further reiterated concerns over the worsening political and humanitarian situation in Myanmar, as well as attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
However, China remained the big-ticket question for the Quad in the Indo-Pacific context. On the China question, Quad’s response this year seems sharper than the previous years. Earlier, at the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meet, the grouping called Beijing out – albeit without naming it – for disregarding international law and unilaterally acting in the East and South China Sea region. Similarly, the Quad leaders expressed their concern over increasing militarisation in disputed pockets of the Indo-Pacific. Responding to the tensions in the region, the grouping condemned the use of coastguards and maritime militia vessels, which serve as China’s tactics for coercive and intimidating manoeuvres.

A Slew Of Announcements

Quad’s synergy on issues of maritime safety and security in the Indo-Pacific has also gained vital momentum at this summit. A joint coastguard-level cooperation among the four Quad countries – Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission – proposed at the summit seeks to improve interoperability among the coastguard services of the four countries, advancing cooperation in the domain of maritime safety and security. Similarly, responding to the imminent challenges posed by natural calamities and disasters in the Indo-Pacific, the grouping announced the launch of the ‘Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network’, which is meant to pursue shared airlift capacities in a bid to improve cooperation in the domain of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) activities.

Additionally, Quad’s efforts to bolster Maritime Domain Awareness through the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) received a significant push with Australia committing to involve the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency to enhance cooperation, as well as by the grouping proposing a new Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI). This summit further consolidated its regional partnerships through continued cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). Notably, the Quad Fellowship programme has been expanded to include students from ASEAN countries demonstrating the grouping’s inclusion of regional partners in fostering people-to-people ties.

The slew of announcements made at this year’s Quad summit, and the resultant Wilmington Declaration, underscore the enduring promise and relevance of the grouping. While Quad continues to respond to critical geopolitical challenges in the world – specifically in the Indo-Pacific – it has also demonstrated a robust positive agenda to harness shared opportunities. 

Indeed, the Quad is here to stay, in pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific – one that is inclusive and resilient.

(Harsh V Pant is Vice President for Studies at ORF. Sayantan Haldar works with the Maritime Initiative at ORF)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Japan PM Kishida Fumio, and Australia’s Anthony Albanese – met for the fourth in-person Quad Leaders Summit in Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday. In a joint statement, they said the four-member Quad is a “force for good” and is “more strategically aligned” than ever before.

“Four years since elevating the Quad to a leader-level format, the Quad is more strategically aligned than ever before and is a force for good that delivers real, positive, and enduring impact for the Indo-Pacific. We celebrate the fact that over just four years, Quad countries have built a vital and enduring regional grouping that will buttress the Indo-Pacific for decades to come,” the Wilmington Declaration joint statement said.

Key Takeaways From Quad Summit:

Quad Cancer Moonshot

The four leaders have launched a Quad Cancer Moonshot in a bid to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer in the Indo-Pacific, with an initial focus on cervical cancer.

According to the statement, the Quad Cancer Moonshot is projected to save hundreds of thousands of lives over the coming decades.

Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission

They also announced the first-ever “Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission” in 2025, which they said will improve interoperability and advance maritime safety between the Indian Coast Guard and its US, Japan, and Australian counterparts.

Indo-Pacific Logistics Network

A Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network pilot project was also launched today to support civilian response to natural disasters more rapidly and efficiently across the Indo-Pacific region.

Quad Ports

The “Quad Ports of the Future Partnership” was also announced to support sustainable and resilient port infrastructure development across the Indo-Pacific.

Through this new partnership, Quad partners intend to coordinate, exchange information, share best practices with partners in the region, and leverage resources to mobilize government and private sector investments in quality port infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific region.

Semiconductors

The Quad leaders also announced the finalization of a Memorandum of Cooperation for the Semiconductor Supply Chains Contingency Network to facilitate collaboration in addressing semiconductor supply chain risks.

Reform UN Security Council

The four leaders also agreed to reform the UN Security Council and recognised the urgent need to make it “more “representative, inclusive, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic, and accountable” through expansion in permanent and non-permanent categories of membership of the UNSC.

At a bilateral meeting, Joe Biden also told PM Modi that the US supports initiatives to “reform global institutions to reflect India’s important voice, including permanent membership for India in a reformed UN Security Council”.

Quad’s MAITRI

Quad partners also agreed to launch a “Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific” (MAITRI) to monitor and secure their waters, enforce their laws, and deter “unlawful behavior”. India will host the inaugural MAITRI workshop during its Quad Presidency in 2025

Quad Scholarship

India announced a new initiative to award fifty Quad scholarships, worth $5,00,000, to students from the Indo-Pacific to pursue a 4-year undergraduate engineering program at a Government of India-funded technical institution.

Washington:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Philadelphia Saturday to begin his three-day US trip with the Quad Leaders’ Summit being held in Wilmington, Delaware.

The Quad Leaders’ Summit this year was earlier supposed to be held in India, but US President Joe Biden was keen to hold the event in his hometown.

This will be a farewell summit for both Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as they near the end of their terms in office — January 20, 2025, for the US president and October 1 for the Japanese prime minister.

The fourth leader attending the meeting is Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Here’s a look at previous summits

— May 20, 2023 (Hiroshima, Japan) Format: In-person Attending leaders: PM Albanese, PM Modi, PM Kishida, and President Biden Notes: Australia was the host of the summit for the year, and was supposed to hold the summit in Sydney just after the G7 Hiroshima Summit. However, President Biden postponed his trip to Australia and Papua New Guinea at the last minute due to debt ceiling negotiations with Congress. Australia hosted the summit in Hiroshima instead. According to the readout from the Japanese side, the summit lasted about 50 min.

— May 24, 2022 (Tokyo, Japan) Format: In-person Attending leaders: PM Albanese, PM Modi, PM Kishida, and President Biden Notes: Australia held its federal election on May 21, and Anthony Albanese became Australia’s 31st prime minister on May 23, the day before the summit. According to the readout from the Japanese side, it lasted about 2 hours.

— March 3, 2022 (Virtual) Format: Video Call Attending leaders: PM Scott Morrison (Australia), PM Modi, PM Kishida, and President Biden Notes: According to the readout from the Japanese side, the video call was initiated and hosted by the United States. 4 leaders mainly exchanged views on the tense situation and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. It lasted about 70 min.

— Sept 24, 2021 (Washington, DC) Format: In-person Attending leaders: PM Morrison, PM Modi, PM Yoshihide Suga (Japan), and President Biden Notes: This was the first in-person summit. PM Suga attended the summit after he announced he was stepping down as prime minister on Sept 3. Fumio Kishida became the next prime minister on Oct 4. According to the readout from the Japanese side, it lasted about 2 hour and 20 min.

— March 12, 2021 (Virtual) Format: Video Call Attending leaders: PM Morrison, PM Modi, PM Suga, and President Biden Notes: This was the first Quad Leaders’ Summit. It lasted about 1 hour and 45 min

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday departed for a three-day visit to the United States, during which he will attend the Quad Leaders’ Summit, address the ‘Summit of the Future’ at the United Nations General Assembly, and also interact with the Indian diaspora.

In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “PM @narendramodi emplanes for USA to participate in the 6th Quad Leaders’ Summit and to address the UN ‘Summit of the Future’.”

    PM @narendramodi emplanes for USA to participate in the 6th Quad Leaders’ Summit and to address the UN ‘Summit of the Future’. pic.twitter.com/nOajjGowWm
    — Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) September 20, 2024

PM @narendramodi emplanes for USA, where he will be attending various programmes, including the Quad Summit, a community programme, addressing the Summit of the Future and other bilateral meetings. https://t.co/LO1Pqaf13Tpic.twitter.com/aqNmlegmG0

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) September 20, 2024

PM Modi will take part in the sixth Quad Leaders’ Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, which is being hosted by US President Joe Biden in his hometown on September 21.

Quad brings together four countries–India, Australia, Japan, and the United States, with a commitment to work as a force for global good and to support an open, free, and inclusive Indo-Pacific that is prosperous and resilient. India will be hosting the Quad Leaders’ Summit in 2025.

At the Quad Summit, the leaders will review the progress achieved by the Quad over the past year and set the agenda for the year ahead to assist the countries of the Indo-Pacific region in meeting their development goals and aspirations, the Ministry of External Affairs stated.

The first Quad Leaders Summit was held in virtual format in 2021. The second Quad Leaders’ Summit (first in-person) was held in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2021. The third Quad Leaders’ Summit was held virtually on March 3, 2022.

The fourth Quad Leaders’ Summit (second in-person) was hosted by Japan on May 24, 2022. The fifth Quad Leaders’ Summit (third in-person) was held in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 20, 2023.

During his visit to the US, PM Modi will address ‘Summit of the Future’ at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 23. The theme of the summit is ‘Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow’.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called the Summit a ‘once in a generation UN Summit’. ‘Summit of the Future’ is an important milestone in the history of the UN as it enters the 80th year of its establishment in 2025.

A large number of global leaders are expected to participate in the summit. Prime Minister Modi will also hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders and discuss issues of mutual interest, on the sidelines of the summit.

The Prime Minister will address a gathering of the Indian community on September 22 in New York.

PM Modi would also be interacting with CEOs of leading US-based companies to foster greater collaborations between the two countries in the cutting-edge areas of AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, and biotechnology, according to MEA.

He is also expected to interact with thought leaders and other stakeholders active in the India-US bilateral landscape. The Prime Minister has addressed the UNGA for the High Level Week (HLW) four times in the past–in 2014, 2019, 2020 (virtually) and 2021.

India and United States enjoy a comprehensive global strategic partnership covering almost all areas of human endeavour, driven by shared democratic values, convergence of interests on a range of issues, and vibrant people-to-people contacts.
India has the largest number of military exercises with the US, which are growing in scale and complexity.

Important bilateral exercises include Yudh Abhyas (Army), Vajra Prahar (Special Forces), Malabar (Navy), Cope India (Air Force), and Tiger Triumph (tri-services). Red Flag, RIMPAC, CUTLASS Express, Sea Dragon, and Milan are some of the multilateral exercises in which the two countries participate.

The US is the also largest trading partner of India, with overall bilateral trade in goods and services of USD 190.1 billion for 2023, according to US Census data.

Foreign Secretary Misri said on Thursday that the Quad event will provide PM Modi with the opportunity to thank both US President Biden, and Japanese PM Kishida for their leadership.

The remarks by Mr Misri came during a briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States for the upcoming Quad summit.

In a press briefing on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, “We are looking at a Quad joint statement, a Quad fact sheet, and the Cancer Moonshot event will have a separate fact sheet of its own. As you probably would have gathered by now, this is also going to be a kind of a farewell event in so far as the Quad is concerned for President Biden and Prime Minister Kishida of Japan. And therefore, the Quad event provides the Prime Minister with an opportunity to thank both leaders for their leadership in giving momentum and salience to the Quad partnership.”

Mr Misri said that this will be an opportunity to have substantive engagement between PM Modi and Biden, where they will have the opportunity to review the comprehensive global strategic partnership between New Delhi and Washington. PM Modi is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of Japan and Australia.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Washington:

The upcoming Quad Summit in Delaware will show that the four-nation grouping is more strategically aligned and relevant than ever before, the White House has said.

QUAD, comprising Australia, Japan, India and the US, is an initiative of President Joe Biden. In the first 100 days of his presidency, Biden convened a virtual leadership summit of the QUAD countries in 2020.

Since then QUAD leaders have been holding an annual summit on a rotation basis.

“We believe you’ll see… that the Quad is more strategically aligned and more relevant than ever before,” John Kirby, White House National Security Council Strategic Communications Director told reporters at a news conference here on Wednesday.

Kriby’s comments came ahead of President Biden’s hosting of the other three QUAD leaders from Australia, India, and Japan in Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday.

It was India’s turn to host the Quad Summit. But following a request from Washington, India agreed to host the Summit next year.

Biden will host the fourth ‘Quad Leaders Summit’ in Wilmington, Delaware, on September 21.

Kirby said the current Quad Summit will be the first time that the US has hosted foreign leaders in Wilmington, the president’s hometown.

“And he’s very excited about that, about showing them a place and a community that shapes so much of the public servant and the leader that he became. It’s also a reflection of his belief that like politics, foreign policy is also personal,” he said.

Kirby said Biden will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese individually, and later in a plenary.

Kirby said over the last more than three years, Biden has made it a priority to invest in rebuilding America’s network of alliances and partnerships across the Indo-Pacific.

“So think about AUKUS, for instance, or the trilateral Camp David summit with Japan and South Korea or the first ever US-Japan-Philippines Leaders’ Summit in April,” he said.

Prime Minister Modi will pay a three-day visit to the US beginning September 21 to attend the annual Quad Summit and address the ‘Summit of the Future’ at the UN General Assembly.

He will also address a gathering of the Indian community in New York on September 22 during his three-day visit. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to join the leaders of the US, Japan and Australia at the Quad summit in the US later this month as the influential grouping is likely to deliberate on pressing global challenges including the situation in Ukraine. The summit is likely to take place on September 21 in US President Joe Biden’s hometown of Wilmington in Delaware, people familiar with the matter said.

There is no official announcement yet on the date and venue of the high-profile summit. It was India’s turn to host the Quad summit this year. However, the leaders of the grouping decided to hold the summit at a venue convenient to all in view of constraints of a tight calendar.

As per the new plan, India is expected to host the Quad summit next year.

PM Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida are among the world leaders who are travelling to the US to attend the UN’s Summit of the Future in New York on September 22 and 23.

The Quad summit is likely to focus on boosting cooperation among the member nations in the Indo-Pacific besides delving into various key challenges facing the globe including the conflict in Ukraine.

In July, the foreign ministers of the Quad member nations held wide-ranging talks in Tokyo with a focus on boosting overall cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

In a loud and clear message to China, the Quad foreign ministerial meeting reaffirmed the grouping’s steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and resolved to work towards a region where no country dominates others and each state is free from “coercion” in all its forms.

The foreign ministers also announced a plan to expand its ambitious Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) programme to the Indian Ocean region that would facilitate monitoring the strategic waters.

In New York, Prime Minister Modi is also set to address an Indian community event besides holding talks with a number of world leaders on the sidelines of the UN summit, the people cited above said.

The Summit of the Future will bring leaders from various countries to forge a new international consensus on how to deliver a “better present and safeguard the future”, according to the UN.

Effective global cooperation is increasingly critical to our survival but difficult to achieve in an atmosphere of mistrust, using outdated structures that no longer reflect today’s political and economic realities, the UN said.

The Summit of the Future is a chance to get back on track, it said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chang Jae-Bok
| Photo Credit: File Photo

Korea has embarked on its journey to become a “global pivotal state” and is committed to playing an active role in “establishing new norms” by participating in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) and fostering cooperation with the Quad, South Korean Envoy Chang Jae-Bok said on Wednesday (August 28, 2024) while also noting that India is also strengthening connections with regional partners through initiatives such as the Quad while also “maintaining also its defence industry cooperation with Russia.”

“India, as the world’s largest democracy and a rapidly growing economy, is solidifying its position as a global power. Under its G2-0 presidency, India prioritised amplifying the voice of the Global South and demonstrated proactive leadership,” Mr. Chang said speaking at the inaugural event of the Korea-India Track 1.5 forum, hosted by the South Korean Embassy in collaboration with Ananta Centre. “India has also been strengthening connections with regional partners through initiatives such as the Quad in the Indo-Pacific and the I2U2 in the Middle East, while carefully maintaining its defence industry cooperation with Russia.”

South Korea has in the past expressed its desire to join the Quad grouping comprising India, Australia, Japan and the U.S., though officials from the grouping have clarified that there was no plan for expansion at the moment.

Terming the India and Republic of Korea relationship as one which has immense potential, Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary East in the Ministry of External Affairs said the relationship can be an an anchor for peace and stability and prosperity and to help both actors navigate the sea of global uncertainty.

“We have attained a level of comfort and trust in our defence cooperation whether through high-level exchanges, staff talks, joint research and development or joint production and transfer of technology,” he said while talking of defence cooperation and adding that there is an appreciation on both sides of key sensitivities as well as a healthy exchange of information on the prevailing regional security environment. The two countries had signed a roadmap for defence industries cooperation to promote R&D joint production in 2020.

Noting that the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy has shifted from a traditional “hub-and-spoke” alliance system to a “lattice-like” strategic architecture, “a formidable web of alliances”, the Envoy said solidarity among like-minded nations has become “essential”, as security issues in one country can have far-reaching global implications. “Our Indo-Pacific strategy outlines a roadmap for expanding proactive engagement beyond the Korean Peninsula and offers a blueprint for strengthening partnerships to uphold a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific,” he added.