PM Modi to visit Tokyo for the fourth interaction of Quad Leaders Summit on May 24

New Delhi, May 20: In a major development, PM Narendra Modi will be flying Tokyo, Japan for third Quad Leaders' Summit on May 24. He will also hold bilateral talks with U.S. President Joseph Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced.

 

 

The Summit in Tokyo is the fourth interaction of Quad Leaders since their first virtual meeting in March 2021, in-person Summit in Washington D.C. in September 2021 and virtual meeting in March 2022. "It will provide an opportunity for the Leaders to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global issues of mutual interest," the MEA said.

 

 

The Quad summit is expected to undertake the situation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It should be noted that India is the only the member of the Quad that has not joined sanctions against Russia, nor has it directly criticised Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. India has also increased its intake of Russian oil, buying more oil in March and April.

 

The Quad leaders will review progress of Quad initiatives and Working Groups, identify new areas of cooperation and provide strategic guidance and vision for future collaboration.

 

 

The bilateral meeting with PM Kishida will provide an opportunity for the two leaders to carry forward their conversations from the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit held in March 2022, when PM Kishida visited India. During the visit, PM Modi will participate in a Business Event with Japanese business leaders and also address and interact with the Indian community in Japan.

 

With US President Joe Biden, it will be an exchange of views on regional and global developments of shared interest. The meeting will also mark a continuation of their regular dialogue having interacted most recently in virtual mode on 11 April 2022. The two Leaders are expected to review the India-US Strategic Partnership and follow up on discussions held during PM’s bilateral meeting with President Biden in September 2021.

 

 

PM Modi is likely to have a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Australia, where elections are to be held on 21 May 2022. The two Leaders are expected to review the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest. The last bilateral meeting between the two Prime Ministers was held virtually on 21 March 2022 followed by the signing of the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) on 2 April 2022.