As leaders of India, US, Japan, Australia gear-up for first Quad summit, here’s what’s on agenda

Leaders of India, the United States, Japan and Australia, who are part of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (commonly known as Quad), will hold a virtual summit on Friday. Although the grouping has been growing for more than a decade, this will be the first Quad summit.

Although the four countries assert that the Quad isn’t a grouping against a particular nation, China increasingly sees it as a plot against Beijing. Its state-run Global Times criticised the Quad summit, saying in an opinion piece that India, which warming up to the US, should have maintained a distance.

Also read: Strategic partnership with India: Is the US sticking it to China?

Ahead of the crucial summit, here’s a look at what’s on agenda for the meeting:

Vaccine

The Quad nations have agreed to work together to produce up to one billion doses of coronavirus vaccine by 2022, AFP reported quoting US officials. Pharmaceutical hub India will manufacture the single-dose vaccine from US-based Johnson & Johnson backed by financial support from Japan and Australia will take the charge of shipments, reported news agency AFP.

“What we’ve tried to put together is a broad-based approach that addresses the acute shortage of vaccines across Southeast Asia in particular,” a US official said.

The leaders have also identified several concrete areas where they can work together to achieve global vaccination. A senior-level Quad vaccine expert group is also expected out of the summit. 

Climate change

Quad partners are expected to take important steps on climate change. 

“They’ll be pledging to fully implement the Paris agreement, to work together on global climate actions, and to cooperate on climate mitigation… and climate finance,” an official told PTI.

Technology

The Quad nations plan to establish a series of working groups, focusing on critical and emerging technologies, including working to set technology standards and norms and jointly developing some of the critical technologies of the future.

Cybersecurity will be a key focus area as all four nations have been hit with cyberattacks.

The four countries are also interested “in standard settings for 5G and other global technologies that are going to be critical in the 21st century,” PTI reported quoting an official.

Geo-politics

At a time when China is flexing its muscles in all directions, clashing with India in the Himalayas, stepped up activity near islands administered by Japan and has imposed sanctions on Australian exports, the four leaders are expected to lay out their vision for a free and open India-Pacific.