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Biden wanted to sit down for deep conversation with Quad leaders: White House
The Quad leaders are likely to announce working groups on space, supply chain initiative and 5G deployment diversification effort. A Quad fellowship may also be announced, reports said.
The leaders of Australia, India, Japan and the United States are likely to announce new collaborations in the areas of Covid vaccine, space, 5G etc as issues like challenges in the Indo Pacific, climate change and the Covid pandemic are on the table. This will be the first-ever in-person Quad summit at the White House and assumes significance in the backdrop of China criticising the "exclusive closed cliques".
“The leaders are hopeful for an opportunity in an intimate setting to sit down and talk about issues of mutual interest and concern. They'll have discussions on critical issues that are confronting the Indo Pacific; issues associated with climate change, with matters relating to Covid. They will also talk about how to advance infrastructure,” a senior administration official told PTI.
Also Read: China sniggers at Quad ahead of summit in Washington
A White House official underscored the unofficial nature of the Quad gathering and said that it is not a regional security organisation but as the leaders want to focus on the challenges confronting the Indo-Pacific region, the issues will be addressed.
“Although we have a number of working groups, and we are deepening cooperation on a very daily basis, it is also the case that it is not a regional security organisation. We are going to address particular issues associated with the challenges confronting the Indo Pacific in the current environment,” the official said.
“President Biden believes that too often these kinds of discussions are scripted and he really wants to be able to sit down and have a deeper conversation with all leaders in an environment where they can really share perspectives on what's important to each of them as they go forward,” the official said.
“It also indicates that the Biden administration understands that the challenges of the 21st century will largely play out in the Indo-Pacific and we are doubling down on our efforts. This quad is part of a larger fabric of engagement that you will see,” the official added.
India, Australia agree on low emissions tech partnership
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said he and his Indian counterpart and "dear friend" Narendra Modi have agreed on some important new initiatives, including low emissions technology partnership and ultra-low-cost solar programme, which will help in further deepening the economic ties between the two countries.
Space, 5G, Quad fellowship - What Quad leaders may announce
“We're going to announce a 5G deployment and diversification effort. This is to support the quite a critical role of Quad governments in fostering and promoting a diverse resilient secure intelligent telecommunications ecosystem,” a senior administration official told PTI. They would also announce a STEM -science, technology, engineering and mathematics - scholarship programme. “We will also announce a major fellowship that will bring students from India, from Japan, from Australia and the United States 100 in total, over the course of the next year and a half to study in elite universities in the United States, in areas related to science and technology as a clear signal of the importance of these issues to all of our country's futures,” said the senior administration official.
(With PTI inputs)
