 "External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. ANI")
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will pay a three-day visit to Tokyo beginning July 28 to attend a foreign ministerial meeting of the four-nation grouping Quad.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and her Australian counterpart Penny Wong will be the other participants at the Quad meeting on July 29.
With the Quad Leaders’ Summit unlikely to take place before November due to the upcoming US elections, attention has shifted to formulating a work programme that promises deliverables in areas ranging from maritime security to infrastructure.
Here’s a quick look at the key agenda points and expected deliverables at the summit:
The ministers are likely to take forward discussions held during the last meeting in New York in September 2023 and exchange views on developments in the Indo-Pacific region, and review progress on Quad initiatives and working groups
According to an official statement from Ministry of External Affairs, the ministers will discuss regional and international issues, providing guidance for future collaboration to realise the shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. This vision includes addressing contemporary priorities through the delivery of public goods
One major area of focus for the Quad members is economic security initiatives. This includes critical minerals, resilient supply chains, and infrastructure projects. In the case of critical minerals, the work centers on sourcing rare earths, addressing the needs and vulnerabilities of Quad members
Although the Quad’s agenda aims to foster an inclusive, open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, much of its efforts counter China in crucial areas such as infrastructure and telecommunications by offering transparent alternatives to countries in the region
The ministers will also review the work of health security working group, which originated from the vaccine working group established during the COVID-19 pandemic and is actively engaged in preparing for future epidemics and medical emergencies
In the field of maritime security, the Quad members will look into enhancing the capacity of partners across the Indo-Pacific to maintain maritime security and domain awareness This effort ensures the region’s waters are used according to international law
The Quad joint statement in September had expressed deep concern about the Russia-Ukraine war and mourned its “terrible and tragic humanitarian consequences”. “We underscore the need for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine in accordance with international law,” read the statement. It is likely that similar language on the conflict will be adopted in the upcoming joint statement next week
This will also be the first meeting of Quad foreign ministers since the Israel-Gaza war broke out last year, but it is unclear whether the conflict will feature in the upcoming joint statement.
As the Quad Foreign Ministers meet in Tokyo, they will set the stage for the postponed Quad Leaders’ Summit
Initially, the leaders of Quad member states—India, Australia, Japan, and the US —planned to meet in January. However, US President Joe Biden could not accept India’s invitation to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations, causing the plan to fall through. With the US presidential election scheduled for November 5, the earliest window for the Quad Leaders’ Summit is now November_With inputs from agencies_