In the Quad summit, the respective leaders of the United States, India, Australia and Japan pledged to work together for ensuring peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific and the world. This was followed by them announcing a slew of new initiatives that would allow them to take on common challenges, amidst muscle-flexing by an assertive China in the strategic region.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Quad would play the role of “Force for Global good“. During his short speech, he said that this cooperation by the four democracies will ensure peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and the world.

PM Modi was the first leader who was invited by host US President Joe Biden to address the first in-person Quad gathering.

Biden described PM Modi as “My Friend.”

Opening the summit, President Biden said the four democracies have come together to take on common challenges. “This group has democratic partners who share world views and have common vision for the future,” he said.

“When we met six months ago, we made a concrete commitment to advance our shared positive agenda for free and open up the session. Today we are proud to say that we’re making progress,” Biden said.

The POTUS said that the Quad is taking action on climate change with a new partnership for zero-emission shipping.

“Today, we’re also launching a new quad fellowship for students from each of our five countries to pursue advanced degrees in leading Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programmes through the United States,” Biden said.

The four countries have a long history of cooperation. “We know how to get things done. And we are up to the challenge,” Biden added.

Thanking Biden for his initiative to organise this historic first ever in-person Quad Summit, Modi said, “Today, when the world is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are meeting once again as Quad and working in the interest of humanity.”

The Quad vaccine initiative is going to provide a great help to the nations in the Indo-Pacific region, he said.

“Based on our common democratic values, Quad has decided to move forward with positive thinking,” he said.

Australian Prime Minister Morrison said that the Indo-Pacific region should be free from coercion and disputes.

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“We believe in a free and open Indo Pacific, because we know that the limits are strong, stable, and prosperous freedom…to realise their hopes and dreams to live in a liberal free society,” he said.

Morrison said that Quad is about demonstrating how democracy such as these get things done.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan, like the other three leaders, stressed the importance of the first-ever in-person Quad Summit, saying “this event demonstrates strong solidarity between our four nations and an unwavering commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific”.

Later briefing the media, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that the Quad leaders discussed the Afghan situation, challenges in Indo-Pacific, COVID-19, climate change and cyber security.

The leaders shared perspectives on the situation in Afghanistan, the emerging challenges in South Asia and Indo-Pacific, he said.