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BIG STORY SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 | The Indian Eye 5

for India-US relations. He also convergence of interests on bilat-
thanked Biden for the warm wel- eral, regional and global issues.
come accorded to him and his With Quad working on sev-
delegation at the White House. eral initiatives including on cli-
“I thank you for the warm wel- mate change, infrastructure and
come accorded to me and my new and emerging technolo-
delegation. Earlier, we had an gies, the first in-person leaders’
opportunity to hold discussions summit of US, India, Japan and
and at that time you had laid out Australia on Friday is expected
the vision for India-US bilateral to promote the forward look-
relations. Today, you are taking ing-agenda to meet the require-
initiatives to implement your ments of Indo-Pacific region.
vision for India-US relations,” US President Joe Biden
PM Modi while interacting with hosted the meeting attended
the Biden. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a bilateral meeting with the Australian by Prime Minister Narendra
The delegation-level talks Prime Minister Scott Morrison, in Washington DC on Thursday. (ANI Photo) Modi, Australian Prime Min-
between PM Modi and US ister Scott Morrison and Ja-
President Biden began here pan Prime Minister Yoshihide
at the White House on Friday. Suga. The four-nation group-
Moments before his meeting ing has a vision for a free, open,
with PM Modi, Biden said he transparent and inclusive In-
is looking forward to strength- do-Pacific. Having had bilat-
ening the deep ties between the eral meetings with Scott Mor-
two countries. rison and Yoshihide Suga on
Since January, PM Modi Thursday, Modi will have done
and Biden have participated bilaterals with the other three
in three summits. Two of them members of Quad before the
were hosted by President Biden Summit meeting.
- the Quad virtual summit in The Prime Minister is ac-
March and the Climate Change companied by a high-level dele-
Summit in April which was also gation including National Secu-
held virtually. rity Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign
It should be noted that regu- Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shrin-
lar exchange of high-level politi- gla in his visit to the US. China
cal visits has provided sustained is opposed to the Quad and has
momentum to bilateral coop- earlier termed the grouping as
eration, while the wide-ranging an “Asian NATO”.
and ever-expanding dialogue China’s increased aggression
architecture has established a in the South China Sea is aggra-
long-term framework for In- vating regional tension. China’s
dia-US engagement. unilateral claim on the Nine-
The Quad is an inter-gov- Prime Minister Narendra Modi exchanges greetings with Japanese Prime Dash Line in the South China
ernmental security forum com- Minister Yoshihide Suga during the bilateral meeting, in Washington DC on Sea; rapid warship building its
prising India, Japan, Australia, Thursday. (ANI Photo) first overseas base in Djibouti;
and the US with a shared ob- and its surface and subsurface
jective to support a “free, open that PM Modi and Biden will re- talks. “India and America being activities in the Indian Ocean
and prosperous” Indo-Pacif- view “robust and multifaceted” the largest and oldest democ- beyond the Malacca Straits have
ic region, that China seeks to India-US bilateral ties and will racy are natural partners. We alarmed regional countries.
threaten. hold a discussion to bolster bilat- have similar values, geopolitical The issue of China as a “very
Also, the Quad vaccine ini- eral trade and investment ties. interests, and our coordination major global player” came up
tiative in the field of healthcare Pointing out similar val- and cooperation is also increas- during Prime Minister Naren-
amid the COVID-19 pandemic ues and geopolitical interests, ing. Strengthening supply chain, dra Modi’s discussions with his
is a glowing example of the stra- Prime Minister Narendra Modi new emerging technologies, and counterparts from Australia
tegic partnership. on Thursday said that India and space, are areas of special inter- and Japan in bilateral meetings
Earlier in April this year, the US are “natural partners” est to you. For me, these areas are on Thursday.
President Biden spoke with PM and asserted that coordination of priority. In these areas, our co- A US official had said that
Modi on a phone call, commit- and cooperation between both operation is important,” he said. hosting the Quad Summit is a
ting that the United States and countries were also increasing. PM Modi’s visit to the US demonstration of the priority
India will work closely together PM Modi’s remarks came is an opportunity for the two of engaging in the Indo-Pacific,
in the fight against COVID-19. in a joint press conference with countries to develop the strate- including through new multilat-
Foreign Secretary Harsh V US Vice President Kamala Har- gic partnership based on shared eral configurations designed to
Shringla had earlier informed ris ahead of the delegation-level democratic values and increasing Continued on next page... >>

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