Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden on Friday stressed the importance of the Quad grouping in supporting a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific. A joint statement issued after bilateral talks between the two leaders also said the Prime Minister looked forward to welcoming the US President to the next Quad Leaders’ Summit to be hosted by India in 2024. The Quad, comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia, has been focusing on practical cooperation to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China’s increasing military muscle-flexing in the region.
The joint statement was issued after comprehensive talks between Modi and Biden to further economic and people-to-people bilateral linkages with the Prime Minister asserting that the friendship between the two nations will continue to play a great role in furthering global good. This is President Biden’s first visit to India as US President. The last US President to visit India was Donald Trump in February 2020.
“Prime Minister Modi and President Biden reaffirmed the importance of the Quad in supporting a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific,” the statement said.
India welcomed the US decision to co-lead the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative Pillar on Trade Connectivity and Maritime Transport, further to the US decision to join the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) in June 2023, it said. Continuing to share the view that global governance must be more inclusive and representative, President Biden also reaffirmed his support for a reformed UN Security Council with India as a permanent member, and, in this context, welcomed once again India’s candidature for the UNSC non-permanent seat in 2028-29, the statement said.
The leaders also underscored the need to strengthen and reform the multilateral system so it may better reflect contemporary realities and remain committed to a comprehensive UN reform agenda, including through expansion in permanent and non-permanent categories of membership of the UN Security Council, it said.
