Quad nations engaged on issues of connectivity, infrastructure, COVID-19 responses: Shringla

Ahead of the first in-person Quad leaders summit, Foreign Secretary Harsh V. Shringla said that the four Quad countries -- India, US, Australia and Japan -- are engaged on issues of connectivity and infrastructure, emerging technologies, climate action, education and COVID-19 responses.

PM Modi will participate in the first in-person Quad leaders' summit in Washington on September 24 during his US visit later this week.

Shringla said that the agenda of cooperation under the Quad framework is constructive and diverse. The Quad is a strategic forum comprising India, Japan, Australia and the United States of America.

He was speaking at JP Morgan India Investors' Summit.

"The four Quad countries are engaged on issues of connectivity and infrastructure, emerging technologies, climate action, education and most important of all, COVID-19 responses - which include vaccine collaboration and resilient and reliable supply chains," he said.

"The requirement to reconfigure and diversify supply chains to make them more resilient and reliable provides us an opportunity to work together. We are involved in multiple initiatives, within the framework of QUAD and with QUAD nations individually on supply chain resilience," Shringla added.

Last month, the White House announced that US President Joe Biden will host the first-ever Quad Leaders Summit at the White House on September 24.

President Biden is "looking forward" to welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, an official statement noted.

The leaders will focus on deepening "ties and advancing practical cooperation in areas such as combatting COVID-19, addressing the climate crisis, partnering on emerging technologies and cyberspace, and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific".

(ANI)