Tokyo:&nbsp;US President Joe Biden on Tuesday told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he is committed to making America's partnership with India among the closest on earth, saying there is so much that the two countries can and will do together. The two leaders are in Japan for the second Quad leaders' in-person summit.President Biden, during a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi after the Quad summit, praised India's Covid vaccination efforts.Biden said he was pleased that the two countries have reached an agreement for the US Development Finance Corporation to continue this important work in India, supporting vaccine production, clean energy initiatives. "I am glad that we are renewing the Indo-US Vaccine Action Programme," he said."There is so much that our countries can and will do together. I am committed to make the US-India partnership among the closest we have on earth," Biden said.On the issue of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the US President said that the two leaders also discussed the ongoing effects of Russia's brutal and non-justified invasion of Ukraine and the effect it has on the entire global world order. "The US-India is going to continue consulting closely on how to mitigate these negative effects," Biden said.The US, along with its allies including Japan, has been one of the world's most outspoken critics of the Russian invasion in Ukraine.Earlier, Prime Minister Modi, US President Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australia's newly-elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended the second in-person meeting of Quad leaders here during which they exchanged views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest.The Quad summit is taking place under the shadow of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It is also taking place at a time when the relations between China and the Quad member countries have become tense, with Beijing increasingly challenging democratic values and resorting to coercive trade practices. India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's rising military manoeuvring in the region.China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. On the eve of the summit, Biden on Monday launched the ambitious Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), which is an initiative aimed at deeper cooperation among like-minded countries in areas such as clean energy, supply-chain resilience and digital trade.The rollout of the IPEF is expected to send across a signal that the US is focused on pushing forward a strong economic policy for the region to counter China's aggressive strategy on trade in the region.In March last year, President Biden hosted the first-ever summit of the Quad leaders in the virtual format that was followed by an in-person summit in Washington in September.The Quad leaders also held a virtual meeting in March. Australia will host the next Quad summit in 2023. In November 2017, India, Japan, the US 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.—PTI

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he is committed to making America's partnership with India among the closest on earth, saying there is so much that the two countries can and will do together.

Committed to making US-India partnership among closest on earth: Biden

Far East

Tokyo: The mutual trust and determination among the Quad member countries is giving new energy to democratic forces and encouraging a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Tokyo on Tuesday at the second in-person summit of the four-nation grouping. The prime minister said Quad is moving ahead with a constructive agenda for the Indo-Pacific which will further strengthen its image of a "force for good". Modi made the remarks in presence of United States President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. In his opening remarks at the summit, Prime Minister Modi said the Quad has gained a significant place at the world stage in a short span of time."We have increased coordination in areas of vaccine delivery, climate action, supply chain resilience, disaster response, economic cooperation and adverse situations arising out of COVID-19 pandemic,'' he said.He said the cooperation among the Quad countries in various areas is contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.The summit is taking place at a time when relations between China and the member countries of the Quad have become tense in the last few years with Beijing increasingly challenging democratic values and resorting to coercive trade practices.In line with its long-term vision for the region, Biden on Monday launched the ambitious Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, which is an initiative aimed at deeper cooperation among like-minded countries in areas like clean energy, supply-chain resilience and digital trade.The rollout of the IPEF is expected to send across a signal that the US is focused on pushing forward a strong economic policy for the region to counter China's aggressive strategy on trade in the region. Attending the event to launch the IPEF, Prime Minister Modi said that the announcement of IPEF is a declaration of a collective desire to make the Indo-Pacific region an engine of global economic growth.The prime minister also called for finding common and creative solutions to tackle economic challenges of the Indo-Pacific region.—PTI

The mutual trust and determination among the Quad member countries is giving new energy to democratic forces and encouraging a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Tokyo on Tuesday at the second in-person summit of the four-nation grouping.

Force for good, says Modi on Quad

Tokyo: Leaders of Quad countries on Tuesday launched the QUAD Fellowship – a first-of-its-kind scholarship programme designed to build ties among the next generation of scientists and technologists from the four member nations. US President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterparts Anthony Albanese and Fumio Kishida from Australia and Japan respectively launched the fellowship that will sponsor 25 students per year from each Quad country to pursue masters and doctoral degrees at leading Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) universities in the US.“The QUAD fellowship programme is a wonderful and unique initiative. This prestigious fellowship will offer our students great opportunities to pursue graduate and doctorate programmes in science, technology, engineering and maths. It will encourage academic excellence and promote people-to-people linkages between our countries,” Prime Minister Modi said in his message.He encouraged Indian students to apply for the Quad Fellowship programme and join the next generation of STEM leaders and innovators building a better future for humanity.“Quad Fellowship launched! A first-of-its-kind scholarship program that will bring together the top minds of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.The Fellowship will sponsor 100 students per year – 25 from each Quad country – to pursue masters and doctoral degrees at leading STEM graduate universities in the United States. “Will develop a network of experts committed to advancing innovation and collaboration across sectors,” Bagchi said in another tweet.—PTI

Leaders of Quad countries on Tuesday launched the QUAD Fellowship – a first-of-its-kind scholarship programme designed to build ties among the next generation of scientists and technologists from the four member nations.

Leaders of Quad countries launch QUAD Fellowship

Tokyo: Highlighting that the Quad's scope has become extensive despite Covid challenges, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the mutual trust, and determination of the members countries including the US, Australia and Japan is giving new energy and enthusiasm to democratic powers. In his opening remarks before the Quad Leaders Summit, PM Modi said, "Quad has made an important place for itself before the world in such a short span of time. Today, Quad's scope has become extensive, its form effective. Our mutual trust, and our determination is giving new energy and enthusiasm to democratic powers.""At the Quad level, with our mutual cooperation, a free, open and inclusive Indo Pacific Region is getting encouraged - it is the shared goal of all of us," he added. PM Modi noted that despite the difficult circumstance of Covid, the member countries have increased mutual coordination in several areas like vaccine delivery, climate action, supply change resilience, disaster management and economic cooperation. "It has ensured peace, prosperity and stability in Indo-Pacific," he added. During his remarks, the Prime Minister also congratulated Australian PM Anthony Albanese for winning the elections. "Your presence amongst us 24 hours after taking the oath reflects the strength of Quad friendship and your commitment towards it."—ANI

Highlighting that the Quad's scope has become extensive despite Covid challenges, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the mutual trust, and determination of the members countries including the US, Australia and Japan is giving new energy and enthusiasm to democratic powers.

Quad ensured peace in Indo-Pacific: Modi

Tokyo: With a firm eye on the Indo-Pacific region, the meeting of Quadrilateral Dialogue (QUAD) kicked off in Tokyo on Tuesday to review the progress made by the four-member countries. 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.The Quad leaders - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan, and President Joe Biden of the United States will also exchange their views about developments in the region and global issues of mutual interest. The Quad cooperation is anchored in the shared values of democracy, international law, and rules-based international order and a vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.Quad's cooperation efforts have included working together on climate action. Quad's Infrastructure Coordination Group has been deliberating on supporting sustainable and demand-driven infrastructure in the region in a manner that doesn't burden countries of the region with unsustainable debt. Cooperation on critical and security of critical cyber infrastructure are other key priority areas of cooperative measures in the Quad. The four countries have also been discussing continued cooperation on Covid response, and post Covid management of economy and health infrastructure. This will be the second in-person Quad Leaders' Summit. It will be followed by the Quad Fellowship Event.—ANI

With a firm eye on the Indo-Pacific region, the meeting of Quadrilateral Dialogue (QUAD) kicked off in Tokyo on Tuesday to review the progress made by the four-member countries.