PM Modi to attend virtual meeting of Quad leaders today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be participating in a virtual meeting with his counterparts of Australia, Japan and the USA, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday.

"The Leaders will have an opportunity to continue their dialogue after the September 2021 Summit in Washington DC. They will exchange views and assessments about important developments in the Indo-Pacific. The Quad Leaders will also review ongoing efforts to implement the Leaders’ initiatives announced as part of the Quad's contemporary and positive agenda," the Ministry's release further stated.

President Joe Biden speaks during the Quad summit with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, in the East Room of the White House, on Sept. 24, 2021, in Washington. 

U.S. President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are among those who will take part in the discussion.

The last in-person Quad summit was held on September 24 last year and was hosted by Mr. Biden in the White House.

In November 2017, India, Japan, the U.S. and Australia gave shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the Quad to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence, amidst China’s growing military presence in the strategic region.