Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met with the leaders of the Quad nations — U.S. President Joseph R. Biden Jr., Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio — for the 2024 Quad Leaders’ Summit in Delaware, United States. The summit highlighted Australia’s dedication to the future prosperity and stability of the Indo-Pacific region.
Albanese underscored the importance of this alliance, stating, “Australia is always better off when we work together with our friends and partners, leveraging our four nations’ collective strengths to respond to the region’s needs and to deliver for the Australian people. The Quad is a vital diplomatic partnership which helps us coordinate more effectively for our region.”
During the summit, Albanese expressed his enthusiasm for India hosting the next Quad Leaders’ Summit, saying, “I’m looking forward to my good friend Prime Minister Modi hosting next year’s summit in India.”
Following the meetings, Prime Minister Albanese held one-on-one talks with Prime Minister Modi, reinforcing Australia’s commitment to maintaining strong bilateral ties.
Despite recent reports that India’s government had operated a spy network in Australia, Albanese stressed that the relationship between the two countries remains robust.
Prime Minister Modi emphasised the growing importance of the Quad in a multipolar world, noting the need for the partnership to remain relevant and effective. He also highlighted the strength of the India-Australia relationship, sharing on X, “India greatly cherishes the time-tested friendship with Australia.”
Albanese echoed these sentiments, posting on X: “Great to talk with Prime Minister @narendramodi today at the Quad Leaders’ Summit about ways to strengthen our partnership.”
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also commented on the meeting, reaffirming the commitment to deepening the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
“The leaders reaffirmed their strong commitment to deepening the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They discussed ways to further advance cooperation in sectors such as trade, security and culture,” PMO India said on X.
Prime Minister Modi switched from Hindi to English during the discussions, declaring, “Our message is clear: Quad is here to stay, to assist, to partner and to complement.”
Australia has announced the expansion of the Elimination Partnership in the Indo-Pacific for Cervical Cancer Program (EPICC), increasing its funding to AUD 29.6 million. Supported by the Australian Government and the Minderoo Foundation, the programme will now cover up to eleven countries in the Indo-Pacific, advancing efforts to eliminate cervical cancer and supporting cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
India has committed $7.5 million to provide HPV sampling kits, detection kits, and cervical cancer vaccines to the region. Additionally, through a $10 million contribution to the WHO’s Global Initiative on Digital Health, India will offer technical assistance for adopting its Digital Public Infrastructure to aid in cancer screening and care across the Indo-Pacific.
In Wilmington, Albanese, Modi, Biden, and Kishida reaffirmed their shared vision for the Quad amidst a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. The leaders noted, “We look forward to the next Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting hosted by the United States in 2025, and the next Quad Leaders’ Summit hosted by India in 2025. The Quad is here to stay.”
The Quad, established as a regional coordination mechanism following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, has evolved into a key diplomatic partnership. The 2025 Quad Leaders’ Summit is scheduled to take place in India.
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