US President Joe Biden kick-started his first leg of the Asian tour with his visit to South Korea on Friday as Washington looks to boost its alliance in the region which has been witnessing rising Chinese commercial and military power.

Notably, this is Biden’s first trip to the Asian region after he became the president.

The president landed at the Osan Air Base, south of Seoul. He is expected to hold talks with his recently elected counterpart Yoon Suk-yeol on some pressing issues, including North Korea.

Moreover, there are reports that North Korea may be using his trip to test an underground nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile.

According to CNN, which has quoted officials, Pyongyang has been getting ready to fuel an intercontinental ballistic missile, one of the key final stages in preparing for a test launch.

The White House said it has prepared for all contingencies, including a test occurring while Biden is on the Korean peninsula.

Biden will also visit US and South Korean troops, but will not make the traditional presidential trek to the fortified frontier known as the DMZ between South and North Korea, the White House said.

Hours ahead of Biden arriving, Suk-yeol signalled a warm welcome, tweeting: "A mountain shows its way to the summit to those who seek it. I am confident the ROK-US alliance that seeks to uphold the values of democracy and human rights shall only elevate in the future."

After his three-day trip, Biden will next travel to Japan for bilateral talks with the country's prime minister Fumio Kishida.

Watch |&nbsp;US President Joe Biden in South Korea to reaffirm key alliance

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Apart from that, he will also be meeting the leaders of Japan, Australia and India for the Quad gathering and launch the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework&nbsp;(IPEF), an agreement that seeks to set standards on supply chains, worker protections, decarbonisation and anti-corruption.

Earlier this week at a White House reception, Biden said that his trip was intended "to affirm the importance of our Indo-Pacific alliances" and "celebrate the indispensable partnerships" in the region, including through cultural ties.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-send-additional-military-aid-of-100-million-to-help-ukraine-in-ongoing-conflict-480560" hreflang="en">US to send additional military aid of $100 million to help Ukraine in ongoing conflict</a>

Before his trip began, the White House said that Biden’s aim is to send a “powerful message” to China and others about what the world could look like if democracies “stand together to shape the rules of the road”.

&nbsp;Biden’s Asia trip is also “fundamentally about” building personal ties with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters en route to South Korea.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/china-looking-to-construct-military-bases-in-pakistan-report-480699" hreflang="en">China looking to construct military outposts in Pakistan: Report</a>

“In both cases, he’s looking for the opportunity to just spend time to get to know these leaders … so that when they need to pick up the phone in a crisis or to respond to a major world event, there’s a baseline of trust and understanding and almost like a common operating language,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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US President Joe Biden kick-started his first leg of the Asian tour with his visit to South Korea on Friday as Washington looks to boost its alliance in the region which has been witnessing rising Chinese commercial and military power.

US President Joe Biden kick-started his first leg of the Asian tour with his visit to South Korea on Friday as Washington looks to boost its alliance in the region which has been witnessing rising Chinese commercial and military power. Notably, this is Biden’s first trip to the Asian region after he became the president. The president landed at the Osan Air Base, south of Seoul. He is expected to hold talks with his recently elected counterpart Yoon Suk-yeol on some pressing issues, including North Korea. Moreover, there are reports that North Korea may be using his trip to test an underground nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile. According to CNN, which has quoted officials, Pyongyang has been getting ready to fuel an intercontinental ballistic missile, one of the key final stages in preparing for a test launch. The White House said it has prepared for all contingencies, including a test occurring while Biden is on the Korean peninsula. Biden will also visit US and South Korean troops, but will not make the traditional presidential trek to the fortified frontier known as the DMZ between South and North Korea, the White House said. Hours ahead of Biden arriving, Suk-yeol signalled a warm welcome, tweeting: "A mountain shows its way to the summit to those who seek it. I am confident the ROK-US alliance that seeks to uphold the values of democracy and human rights shall only elevate in the future." After his three-day trip, Biden will next travel to Japan for bilateral talks with the country's prime minister Fumio Kishida. Watch | US President Joe Biden in South Korea to reaffirm key alliance Apart from that, he will also be meeting the leaders of Japan, Australia and India for the Quad gathering and launch the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), an agreement that seeks to set standards on supply chains, worker protections, decarbonisation and anti-corruption. Earlier this week at a White House reception, Biden said that his trip was intended "to affirm the importance of our Indo-Pacific alliances" and "celebrate the indispensable partnerships" in the region, including through cultural ties. Also read | US to send additional military aid of $100 million to help Ukraine in ongoing conflict Before his trip began, the White House said that Biden’s aim is to send a “powerful message” to China and others about what the world could look like if democracies “stand together to shape the rules of the road”. Biden’s Asia trip is also “fundamentally about” building personal ties with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters en route to South Korea. Also read | China looking to construct military outposts in Pakistan: Report “In both cases, he’s looking for the opportunity to just spend time to get to know these leaders … so that when they need to pick up the phone in a crisis or to respond to a major world event, there’s a baseline of trust and understanding and almost like a common operating language,” he said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

US prez Joe Biden kick-starts his Asian trip to boost Indo-Pacific ties

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday (April 30) called for a cessation of hostilities in Ukraine during a meeting with his Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

Kishida is on a tour of Southeast Asia to&nbsp;counter China's growing assertiveness in the region and to discuss regional responses to the Ukraine crisis.

He told reporters, "I expressed my strong opposition to a unilateral change of the status quo by force in the East China Sea and the South China Sea."

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"An infringement on sovereignty and territorial integrity through the use of force and intimidation, as well as an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force, are unacceptable in any region," he said.

Widodo confirmed that he has invited both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to the G20 summit in November.

In response, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, "The President has expressed publicly his opposition to President Putin attending the G20. We have welcomed the Ukrainians attending."&nbsp;

"We have conveyed our view that we don't think (Russia) should be a part of it publicly and privately," she told reporters.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-war-may-last-a-decade-and-putin-a-desperate-rogue-operator-uk-foreign-secretary-liz-truss-474894" hreflang="en">Ukraine war may last a decade and Putin a 'desperate rogue operator': UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss</a>

According to State Department deputy spokesperson Jalina Porter, "The United States continues to believe that it can't be business as usual with regards to Russia's participation with the international community or international institutions."&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that "for the time being, it is premature to communicate the modalities of Russian participation."

Japan is Asia's only country that is a member of the Group of Seven (G7) and officials say it hopes to hold talks on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and consolidate responses in Southeast Asia, where only one nation, Singapore, has joined sanctions against Moscow.

Kishida will host the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue next month for talks on regional security with India, Australia, and the United States.&nbsp;

Watch WION's live TV:

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(With inputs from agencies)

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday (April 30) called for a cessation of hostilities in Ukraine during a meeting with his Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday (April 30) called for a cessation of hostilities in Ukraine during a meeting with his Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Kishida is on a tour of Southeast Asia to counter China's growing assertiveness in the region and to discuss regional responses to the Ukraine crisis. He told reporters, "I expressed my strong opposition to a unilateral change of the status quo by force in the East China Sea and the South China Sea." "An infringement on sovereignty and territorial integrity through the use of force and intimidation, as well as an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force, are unacceptable in any region," he said. Widodo confirmed that he has invited both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to the G20 summit in November. In response, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, "The President has expressed publicly his opposition to President Putin attending the G20. We have welcomed the Ukrainians attending." "We have conveyed our view that we don't think (Russia) should be a part of it publicly and privately," she told reporters. Also read | Ukraine war may last a decade and Putin a 'desperate rogue operator': UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss According to State Department deputy spokesperson Jalina Porter, "The United States continues to believe that it can't be business as usual with regards to Russia's participation with the international community or international institutions." Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that "for the time being, it is premature to communicate the modalities of Russian participation." Japan is Asia's only country that is a member of the Group of Seven (G7) and officials say it hopes to hold talks on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and consolidate responses in Southeast Asia, where only one nation, Singapore, has joined sanctions against Moscow. Kishida will host the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue next month for talks on regional security with India, Australia, and the United States. Watch WION's live TV: (With inputs from agencies)

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida calls for a cessation of hostilities in Ukraine

US President Joe Biden will be meeting the Quad leaders in Tokyo after travelling to South Korea and Japan for a bilateral visit, the White House in a statement said.

Biden's trip to South Korea and Japan has been scheduled From May 20 to 24, following which he will be meeting other Quad leaders.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Tokyo on May 24 for the Quad visit after concluding his trip to Europe, where he will be meeting the leaders of Germany, Denmark and France from May 2 to May 4.

“This trip will advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s rock-solid commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and to US treaty alliances with the Republic of Korea and Japan,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

“It will build on more than a year of intensive diplomacy with the Indo-Pacific, including the U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit on May 12-13 in Washington, DC,” she added.

Biden will also hold bilateral meetings with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-russia-ties-grew-out-of-necessity-as-us-couldnt-do-it-earlier-antony-blinken-474485">&nbsp;India-Russia ties grew out of necessity as US couldn’t do it earlier: Antony Blinken</a>

"The leaders will discuss opportunities to deepen our vital security relationships, enhance economic ties and expand our close cooperation to deliver practical results,” she said.

Quad or 'Quadrilateral Security Dialogue' is an informal strategic four that comprises four nations - India, United States, Australia and Japan. One of the main objectives of Quad is to work for a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-us-22-dialogue-a-momentous-moment-in-global-affairs-470362">India-US 2+2 dialogue a 'momentous moment' in global affairs</a>

&nbsp;It is also basically seen as a strategic grouping to reduce Chinese domination.

(With inputs from agencies)

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US President Joe Biden will be meeting the Quad leaders in Tokyo after travelling to South Korea and Japan for a bilateral visit, the White House in a statement said.

US President Joe Biden will be meeting the Quad leaders in Tokyo after travelling to South Korea and Japan for a bilateral visit, the White House in a statement said. Biden's trip to South Korea and Japan has been scheduled From May 20 to 24, following which he will be meeting other Quad leaders. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Tokyo on May 24 for the Quad visit after concluding his trip to Europe, where he will be meeting the leaders of Germany, Denmark and France from May 2 to May 4. “This trip will advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s rock-solid commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and to US treaty alliances with the Republic of Korea and Japan,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. “It will build on more than a year of intensive diplomacy with the Indo-Pacific, including the U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit on May 12-13 in Washington, DC,” she added. Biden will also hold bilateral meetings with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. Also read | India-Russia ties grew out of necessity as US couldn’t do it earlier: Antony Blinken "The leaders will discuss opportunities to deepen our vital security relationships, enhance economic ties and expand our close cooperation to deliver practical results,” she said. Quad or 'Quadrilateral Security Dialogue' is an informal strategic four that comprises four nations - India, United States, Australia and Japan. One of the main objectives of Quad is to work for a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. Also read | India-US 2+2 dialogue a 'momentous moment' in global affairs It is also basically seen as a strategic grouping to reduce Chinese domination. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US President Joe Biden to meet Indian PM Modi, other Quad leaders in Tokyo in May

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, India has maintained a neutral stance over the conflict. Now, US President Joe Biden says India's reponse is 'Shaky'.

US President Biden praises QUAD, NATO but singles out India for 'Shaky' response to Russian invasion

A senior Chinese diplomat has said that the US's Indo-Pacific strategy is as “dangerous” as NATO's eastward expansion in Europe resulting in Russia's military offensive against Ukraine.

China's Foreign Ministry issues dire warning to QUAD as it toughens stand on Taiwan

China's Vice Foreign minister compared the QUAD's policies in the Indo-Pacific to NATO expansionism in Europe. Palki Sharma tells you why Beijing is making this controversial comparison.

Gravitas: China compares the QUAD to NATO

QUAD as dangerous as NATO expansion, warns Chinese official

Aggressive China has alleged that the Quad alliance between the US, India, Japan and Australia aims to create an Asian NATO.

Aggressive China takes on Quad alliance: 'Quad aims to create Asian NATO'

As India faces criticism from some countries in the West over New Delhi's position amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Australian high commissioner Barry O'Farrell has said "Quad countries have accepted India's position, each country has a bilateral relationship".

Australia, along with India, Japan and the United States are members of the Quad group, a group which Beijing is very suspicious of. &nbsp;

The group had held a virtual meet earlier this month in the aftermath of the Russian invasion and discussed its implication on the Indo-Pacific.&nbsp;

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The high commissioner highlighted that "it's clear from the comments of MEA, PM that he has used his contacts to call for the end of the conflict and no country will be unhappy with that".&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin three times since the invasion that began on February 24.&nbsp;

India has been calling for direct dialogue between the two countries and early cessation of violence. At the United Nations, India has abstained during various votes on Ukraine crisis and is currently in talks to get discounted Russian crude oil.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/with-focus-on-critical-minerals-australia-to-announce-rs-1500-crore-investment-in-india-464046" hreflang="en">With focus on critical minerals, Australia to announce Rs 1500 crore investment in India</a>

The Australian stance comes even as Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday minced no words to condemn Russian invasion during his visit to Delhi.&nbsp;

Standing alongside PM Modi at Hyderabad house, Kishida said that the invasion "shakes the very foundations of the international order and must be dealt with firmly".&nbsp;

Japan, Australia and US have not only condemned Russian actions, but also announced a slew of sanctions against the country.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs of the United States Victoria Nuland, Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu and Deputy Under Secretary of Defence for Policy Amanda Dory will be in Delhi from Monday.&nbsp;

This is the first US govt official delegation to be in Delhi since Russian invasion and will hold talks on the with Indian side on number of issues including the Indo-Pacific.

As India faces criticism from some countries in the West over New Delhi's position amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Australian high commissioner Barry O'Farrell has said "Quad countries have accepted India's position, each country has a bilateral relationship".

As India faces criticism from some countries in the West over New Delhi's position amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Australian high commissioner Barry O'Farrell has said "Quad countries have accepted India's position, each country has a bilateral relationship". Australia, along with India, Japan and the United States are members of the Quad group, a group which Beijing is very suspicious of. The group had held a virtual meet earlier this month in the aftermath of the Russian invasion and discussed its implication on the Indo-Pacific. The high commissioner highlighted that "it's clear from the comments of MEA, PM that he has used his contacts to call for the end of the conflict and no country will be unhappy with that". Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin three times since the invasion that began on February 24. India has been calling for direct dialogue between the two countries and early cessation of violence. At the United Nations, India has abstained during various votes on Ukraine crisis and is currently in talks to get discounted Russian crude oil. Also read | With focus on critical minerals, Australia to announce Rs 1500 crore investment in India The Australian stance comes even as Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday minced no words to condemn Russian invasion during his visit to Delhi. Standing alongside PM Modi at Hyderabad house, Kishida said that the invasion "shakes the very foundations of the international order and must be dealt with firmly". Japan, Australia and US have not only condemned Russian actions, but also announced a slew of sanctions against the country. Meanwhile, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs of the United States Victoria Nuland, Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu and Deputy Under Secretary of Defence for Policy Amanda Dory will be in Delhi from Monday. This is the first US govt official delegation to be in Delhi since Russian invasion and will hold talks on the with Indian side on number of issues including the Indo-Pacific.

Quad accepts India's position, says Australian envoy on Ukraine crisis

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday announced a 5 trillion yen ($42 billion) investment in India over the next five years during a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

"We (Kishida and Modi) confirmed any unilateral change to the status quo by force cannot be forgiven in any region, and it is necessary to seek peaceful resolutions of disputes based on international law," Kishida told reporters after meeting Modi in New Delhi.

The two leaders were meeting to strengthen security amid the Ukraine crisis and improve economic ties between the two nations.

Japan in recent years has supported India's urban infrastructure development and the high-speed railway based on its bullet train technology.

A joint statement pointedly "underlined that the Quad must remain focused on its core objective of promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region".

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Kishida's office quoted him saying before meeting Modi that "Russia's aggression against Ukraine is an outrage that undermines the very foundation of the order of the international community, including Asia".

"Such unilateral changes to the status quo are also absolutely unacceptable in the Indo-Pacific region. During this overseas trip (to India and Cambodia) I will engage in exchanges of views with my counterparts about the situation in Ukraine and other matters and urge them to take action," Kishida's office tweeted.

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これからインドとカンボジアに行ってまいります。 <a href="https://t.co/WcfwP4WyIA">https://t.co/WcfwP4WyIA</a>
— 岸田文雄 (@kishida230) <a href="https://twitter.com/kishida230/status/1504953457563774976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Unlike fellow members of the Quad alliance,&nbsp;Japan, Australia and the United States,&nbsp;India has abstained in three UN votes condemning Moscow's actions, calling only for a halt to the violence.

Ahead of Kishida's visit, the first by a Japanese premier since 2017, a Japanese foreign ministry official said Tokyo was "aware" of Delhi's "geographical location and historical ties to Russia".

Prime Minister Modi had spoken to PM Kishida on phone in October 2021 soon after he assumed office. Both sides expressed a desire to further strengthen the special strategic and global partnership.

This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The annual summit between Prime Minister Modi and his then Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe was cancelled in December 2019 in Guwahati in the wake of massive protests rocking the Assam capital over the amended citizenship law.

The summit could not be held in 2020 as well as in 2021 primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2014, then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced 3.5 trillion yen in investment and financing over five years during a visit to India.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday announced a 5 trillion yen ($42 billion) investment in India over the next five years during a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday announced a 5 trillion yen ($42 billion) investment in India over the next five years during a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. "We (Kishida and Modi) confirmed any unilateral change to the status quo by force cannot be forgiven in any region, and it is necessary to seek peaceful resolutions of disputes based on international law," Kishida told reporters after meeting Modi in New Delhi. The two leaders were meeting to strengthen security amid the Ukraine crisis and improve economic ties between the two nations. Japan in recent years has supported India's urban infrastructure development and the high-speed railway based on its bullet train technology. A joint statement pointedly "underlined that the Quad must remain focused on its core objective of promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region". Kishida's office quoted him saying before meeting Modi that "Russia's aggression against Ukraine is an outrage that undermines the very foundation of the order of the international community, including Asia". "Such unilateral changes to the status quo are also absolutely unacceptable in the Indo-Pacific region. During this overseas trip (to India and Cambodia) I will engage in exchanges of views with my counterparts about the situation in Ukraine and other matters and urge them to take action," Kishida's office tweeted. これからインドとカンボジアに行ってまいります。 https://t.co/WcfwP4WyIA — 岸田文雄 (@kishida230) March 18, 2022 × Unlike fellow members of the Quad alliance, Japan, Australia and the United States, India has abstained in three UN votes condemning Moscow's actions, calling only for a halt to the violence. Ahead of Kishida's visit, the first by a Japanese premier since 2017, a Japanese foreign ministry official said Tokyo was "aware" of Delhi's "geographical location and historical ties to Russia". Prime Minister Modi had spoken to PM Kishida on phone in October 2021 soon after he assumed office. Both sides expressed a desire to further strengthen the special strategic and global partnership. This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The annual summit between Prime Minister Modi and his then Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe was cancelled in December 2019 in Guwahati in the wake of massive protests rocking the Assam capital over the amended citizenship law. The summit could not be held in 2020 as well as in 2021 primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2014, then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced 3.5 trillion yen in investment and financing over five years during a visit to India. (With inputs from agencies)

Japan PM Fumio Kishida announces $42 billion investment in India

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Quad leaders held a virtual meeting. However, Quad seems divided over the response on Ukraine as India rejected Kyiv on Quad's agenda.

Quad divided over response on Russian invasion of Ukraine? India rejects Kyiv on Quad agenda

With the Russia-Ukraine conflict intensifying, US President Joe Biden had a 'constructive conversation' with other Quad leaders, the White House said on Thursday. &nbsp;

The rapidly evolving situation in Ukraine was discussed by the Quad leaders, which include Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-shelling-sets-largest-nuclear-power-plant-in-europe-on-fire-says-ukraines-minister-458728" hreflang="en">Russian shelling sets largest nuclear power plant in Europe on fire, says Ukraine's minister</a>

On Wednesday, the leaders held a virtual meeting. In it, Russia's invasion in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region due to the crisis was discussed. &nbsp;

At a news conference, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, "The President felt it was a constructive conversation." &nbsp; &nbsp;

In a press release, the White House said, “The Quad leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and agreed to meet in person in Tokyo later this year." . &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/please-use-with-caution-elon-musk-warns-that-starlink-can-be-targeted-by-russia-advises-caution-458726">Elon Musk warns that starlink can be 'targeted' by Russia, advises caution</a>

In a tweet after the meeting, Biden said, "I met with my fellow Quad leaders Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio about Russia's ongoing attack on Ukraine and our commitment to sovereignty and territorial integrity around the world, including in the Indo-Pacific.” &nbsp;

Biden has also suggested that members of the respective national security teams can follow up after the meeting of the four heads of state, Psaki said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

With the Russia-Ukraine conflict intensifying, US President Joe Biden had a 'constructive conversation' with other Quad leaders, the White House said on Thursday.

With the Russia-Ukraine conflict intensifying, US President Joe Biden had a 'constructive conversation' with other Quad leaders, the White House said on Thursday. The rapidly evolving situation in Ukraine was discussed by the Quad leaders, which include Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Also Read: Russian shelling sets largest nuclear power plant in Europe on fire, says Ukraine's minister On Wednesday, the leaders held a virtual meeting. In it, Russia's invasion in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region due to the crisis was discussed. At a news conference, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, "The President felt it was a constructive conversation." In a press release, the White House said, “The Quad leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and agreed to meet in person in Tokyo later this year." . Also Read: Elon Musk warns that starlink can be 'targeted' by Russia, advises caution In a tweet after the meeting, Biden said, "I met with my fellow Quad leaders Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio about Russia's ongoing attack on Ukraine and our commitment to sovereignty and territorial integrity around the world, including in the Indo-Pacific.” Biden has also suggested that members of the respective national security teams can follow up after the meeting of the four heads of state, Psaki said. (With inputs from agencies)

'Constructive conversation': Quad leaders discuss Ukraine situation

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke with Quad leaders and discussed situation in Ukraine. The discussion included humanitarian implications of the conflict. PM Modi emphassed that there was need to return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy.

Quad is a grouping of India, US, Japan and Australia.

US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also took part, in the first such interaction since the leaders of four Quad countries held a summit in September last year in Washington.&nbsp;

The virtual meeting was held amid Russia`s military action in Ukraine. A PMO statement said that the leaders discussed other topical issues, including the situation in Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean region and the Pacific Islands.&nbsp;

<img alt="Quad statement" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="632d1f0b-88e3-4d0e-8c6f-50c528d71426" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Quad.png" />

PM Modi reiterated the importance "of adhering to the UN Charter, international law and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity."

"The Prime Minister underlined that the Quad must remain focused on its core objective of promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. He called for concrete and practical forms of cooperation within the Quad, in areas like Humanitarian and Disaster Relief, debt sustainability, supply chains, clean energy, connectivity, and capacity-building.

"Developments in Ukraine were discussed in the meeting, including its humanitarian implications. The Prime Minister emphasised the need to return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy," the statement said.&nbsp;

The meeting reviewed the progress on Quad initiatives since the September 2021 Quad Summit. The leaders agreed on accelerating cooperation, with an objective to achieve concrete outcomes by the summit in Japan later this year.The leaders agreed to stay in touch and to work towards an ambitious agenda for the forthcoming Leaders` Summit in Japan. The Western countries have imposed sanctions against Russia following its military action.

(With inputs from agencies)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke with Quad leaders and discussed situation in Ukraine. The discussion included humanitarian implications of the conflict.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke with Quad leaders and discussed situation in Ukraine. The discussion included humanitarian implications of the conflict. PM Modi emphassed that there was need to return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. Quad is a grouping of India, US, Japan and Australia. US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also took part, in the first such interaction since the leaders of four Quad countries held a summit in September last year in Washington. The virtual meeting was held amid Russia`s military action in Ukraine. A PMO statement said that the leaders discussed other topical issues, including the situation in Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean region and the Pacific Islands. PM Modi reiterated the importance "of adhering to the UN Charter, international law and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity." "The Prime Minister underlined that the Quad must remain focused on its core objective of promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. He called for concrete and practical forms of cooperation within the Quad, in areas like Humanitarian and Disaster Relief, debt sustainability, supply chains, clean energy, connectivity, and capacity-building. "Developments in Ukraine were discussed in the meeting, including its humanitarian implications. The Prime Minister emphasised the need to return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy," the statement said. The meeting reviewed the progress on Quad initiatives since the September 2021 Quad Summit. The leaders agreed on accelerating cooperation, with an objective to achieve concrete outcomes by the summit in Japan later this year.The leaders agreed to stay in touch and to work towards an ambitious agenda for the forthcoming Leaders` Summit in Japan. The Western countries have imposed sanctions against Russia following its military action. (With inputs from agencies)

PM Modi discusses Ukraine situation with Quad leaders

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Quad leaders are all set to hold a virtual meeting today. The Indo-Pacific developments are in focus.

Quad leaders' virtual meet today amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine

QUAD foreign ministers pledge deeper coordination as they hold meeting in Australia's Melbourne amid growing ties between Russia and China against the backdrop of invasion fears in Ukraine. WION's Siddhant Sibbal speaks with Australian envoy Barry O'Farrell for more details.

QUAD aims at free, open, secure Indo-Pacific, says Australian envoy Barry O'Farrell

The United States has vowed to step up its efforts in the Indo-Pacific region as a push back against China.

The top diplomats of the United States, Australia, Japan and India opened talks in Melbourne Friday on deepening their Quad alliance, hoping to blunt China's expanding power across the Asia-Pacific region.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/quad-aims-at-free-open-secure-indo-pacific-says-australian-envoy-barry-ofarrell-452529/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

A new Biden administration strategy for the Indo-Pacific emphasizes not going it alone in dealing with China’s growing influence and ambitions, underscoring the administration’s efforts to strengthen security cooperation and other ties with allies and partners in the region.

"The PRC is combining its economic, diplomatic, military, and technological might as it pursues a sphere of influence in the Indo-Pacific and seeks to become the world's most influential power," it said referring to the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/quad-supported-indian-covid-vaccines-to-roll-out-in-first-half-of-2022-452472" hreflang="en">Quad-supported Indian Covid vaccines to roll out in first half of 2022</a>

China’s “coercion and aggression spans the globe, but it is most acute in the Indo-Pacific,” the administration declares in the document. It cited economic campaigns pressuring Australia, conflict along China’s Line of Control with India, pressure on Taiwan and “bullying of neighbors in the East and South China Seas.”

"Our collective efforts over the next decade will determine whether the PRC succeeds in transforming the rules and norms that have benefited the Indo-Pacific and the world."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that even though Russia's threat to Ukraine occupies Washington right now, the longer-term issue is China's rising power.

"To my mind, there's little doubt that China's ambition over time is to be the leading military, economic, diplomatic and political power not just in the region but in the world," he told The Australian newspaper.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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In 2022, <a href="https://twitter.com/StateIVLP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StateIVLP</a> will conduct new exchange projects that will strengthen our security partnerships in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndoPacific?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndoPacific</a>. Emerging foreign leaders from Australia, India, and Japan will experience the U.S. firsthand and build lasting relationships with American counterparts. <a href="https://t.co/6bGbP1KX7W">pic.twitter.com/6bGbP1KX7W</a>
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1492292366270545925?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In a 12-page strategy overview, the Biden administration says its plan includes continued support for the self-defense of Taiwan, which China claims as its territory; deeper military integration with countries in the region to deter China, as with last year’s nuclear-powered submarine agreement with Australia; and expanding efforts against cyber attacks and threats from emerging technology.

In its document, the United States vowed to modernise alliances, strengthen emerging partnerships, and invest in regional organisations. It particularly stressed the importance of "a strong India" as a partner in a positive regional vision.

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A review of our bilateral cooperation with <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecBlinken</a>. The readout on progress in different domains was positive. Our strategic partnership has deepened so visibly. <a href="https://t.co/LuBkYKa01l">pic.twitter.com/LuBkYKa01l</a>
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1492063421709586433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
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It said the United States would pursue a "free and open Indo-Pacific ... through a latticework of strong and mutually reinforcing coalitions."

Under an action plan for the next 12-24 months, the document said Washington would "meaningfully expand" its diplomatic presence in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands and prioritize key negotiations with Pacific island states that cover access for the US military and which have appeared to stall in the past year.

"We will refocus security assistance on the Indo-Pacific, including to build maritime capacity and maritime-domain awareness," it said.

The US has sought to broaden the Quad from a maritime security partnership to other areas, like fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

Launched in 2007, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, has given a framework to what began as joint US-India-Japan naval exercises in the Indian Ocean, dubbed the Malabar Exercises.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States has vowed to step up its efforts in the Indo-Pacific region as a push back against China. The top diplomats of the United States, Australia, Japan and India opened talks in Melbourne Friday on deepening their Quad alliance, hoping to blunt China's expanding power across the Asia-Pacific region.

The United States has vowed to step up its efforts in the Indo-Pacific region as a push back against China. The top diplomats of the United States, Australia, Japan and India opened talks in Melbourne Friday on deepening their Quad alliance, hoping to blunt China's expanding power across the Asia-Pacific region. A new Biden administration strategy for the Indo-Pacific emphasizes not going it alone in dealing with China’s growing influence and ambitions, underscoring the administration’s efforts to strengthen security cooperation and other ties with allies and partners in the region. "The PRC is combining its economic, diplomatic, military, and technological might as it pursues a sphere of influence in the Indo-Pacific and seeks to become the world's most influential power," it said referring to the People's Republic of China (PRC). Also read | Quad-supported Indian Covid vaccines to roll out in first half of 2022 China’s “coercion and aggression spans the globe, but it is most acute in the Indo-Pacific,” the administration declares in the document. It cited economic campaigns pressuring Australia, conflict along China’s Line of Control with India, pressure on Taiwan and “bullying of neighbors in the East and South China Seas.” "Our collective efforts over the next decade will determine whether the PRC succeeds in transforming the rules and norms that have benefited the Indo-Pacific and the world." US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that even though Russia's threat to Ukraine occupies Washington right now, the longer-term issue is China's rising power. "To my mind, there's little doubt that China's ambition over time is to be the leading military, economic, diplomatic and political power not just in the region but in the world," he told The Australian newspaper. In 2022, @StateIVLP will conduct new exchange projects that will strengthen our security partnerships in the #IndoPacific. Emerging foreign leaders from Australia, India, and Japan will experience the U.S. firsthand and build lasting relationships with American counterparts. pic.twitter.com/6bGbP1KX7W — Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) February 12, 2022 × In a 12-page strategy overview, the Biden administration says its plan includes continued support for the self-defense of Taiwan, which China claims as its territory; deeper military integration with countries in the region to deter China, as with last year’s nuclear-powered submarine agreement with Australia; and expanding efforts against cyber attacks and threats from emerging technology. In its document, the United States vowed to modernise alliances, strengthen emerging partnerships, and invest in regional organisations. It particularly stressed the importance of "a strong India" as a partner in a positive regional vision. A review of our bilateral cooperation with @SecBlinken. The readout on progress in different domains was positive. Our strategic partnership has deepened so visibly. pic.twitter.com/LuBkYKa01l — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 11, 2022 × It said the United States would pursue a "free and open Indo-Pacific ... through a latticework of strong and mutually reinforcing coalitions." Under an action plan for the next 12-24 months, the document said Washington would "meaningfully expand" its diplomatic presence in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands and prioritize key negotiations with Pacific island states that cover access for the US military and which have appeared to stall in the past year. "We will refocus security assistance on the Indo-Pacific, including to build maritime capacity and maritime-domain awareness," it said. The US has sought to broaden the Quad from a maritime security partnership to other areas, like fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Launched in 2007, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, has given a framework to what began as joint US-India-Japan naval exercises in the Indian Ocean, dubbed the Malabar Exercises. (With inputs from agencies)

Eyeing China, United States pledges to step up effort in Indo-Pacific region

In the fourth edition of the Quad meet on Friday, foreign ministers of India, the United States, Japan, and Australia sent out a stern message against those indulging in cross border terrorism and threatening to disrupt peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

They also condemned North Korea’s destabilising ballistic missile launches, which it said were in violation of the UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR).

The highlight of the joint statement was that though North Korea was named explicitly, the remarks bore thinly veiled references to China and Pakistan.

Without naming Pakistan, the statement issued after the meeting called upon all countries to ensure that territory under their control is not used to launch terror attacks and denounced terrorist attacks in India, including the 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot attacks.

“We denounce the use of terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism and urge countries to work together to eliminate terrorist safe havens; disrupt terrorist networks and the infrastructure and financial channels which sustain them, and halt the cross-border movement of terrorists,” the ministers said.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/quad-supported-indian-covid-vaccines-to-roll-out-in-first-half-of-2022-452472">Quad-supported Indian Covid vaccines to roll out in first half of 2022</a>

The statement highlighted India’s concerns that it had been a victim of cross-border terrorism.

In India’s northern Pathankot province, seven security personnel were killed during a terror attack at the air force base in 2016.

In Mumbai, more than 166 people were killed when a group of armed terrorists launched an attack in India’s financial capital.

In both the incidents, terrorists from Pakistan-based outfits Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) carried out the dastardly attack.

Apart from that, all the members also agreed that Afghanistan must be stopped from becoming a terrorist safe haven.

In the meeting, the Quad members also reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific—"a region which is inclusive and resilient, and in which states strive to protect the interests of their people, free from coercion,” the statement said.

Watch | Quad ministers address Indo-Pacific 'coercion', China aggression, COVID

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/quad-ministers-address-indo-pacific-coercion-china-aggression-covid-452370/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The reference to coercion is seen as a veiled message to China that has been increasing its military muscle-flexing in the Indo-Pacific.

The Japanese foreign minister said that the next Quad Leaders' Summit will take place in Japan in the first half of 2022.

(With inputs from agencies)

In the fourth edition of the Quad meet on Friday, foreign ministers of India, the United States, Japan, and Australia sent out a stern message against those indulging in cross border terrorism and threatening to disrupt peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

In the fourth edition of the Quad meet on Friday, foreign ministers of India, the United States, Japan, and Australia sent out a stern message against those indulging in cross border terrorism and threatening to disrupt peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. They also condemned North Korea’s destabilising ballistic missile launches, which it said were in violation of the UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR). The highlight of the joint statement was that though North Korea was named explicitly, the remarks bore thinly veiled references to China and Pakistan. Without naming Pakistan, the statement issued after the meeting called upon all countries to ensure that territory under their control is not used to launch terror attacks and denounced terrorist attacks in India, including the 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot attacks. “We denounce the use of terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism and urge countries to work together to eliminate terrorist safe havens; disrupt terrorist networks and the infrastructure and financial channels which sustain them, and halt the cross-border movement of terrorists,” the ministers said. Also read | Quad-supported Indian Covid vaccines to roll out in first half of 2022 The statement highlighted India’s concerns that it had been a victim of cross-border terrorism. In India’s northern Pathankot province, seven security personnel were killed during a terror attack at the air force base in 2016. In Mumbai, more than 166 people were killed when a group of armed terrorists launched an attack in India’s financial capital. In both the incidents, terrorists from Pakistan-based outfits Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) carried out the dastardly attack. Apart from that, all the members also agreed that Afghanistan must be stopped from becoming a terrorist safe haven. In the meeting, the Quad members also reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific—"a region which is inclusive and resilient, and in which states strive to protect the interests of their people, free from coercion,” the statement said. Watch | Quad ministers address Indo-Pacific 'coercion', China aggression, COVID The reference to coercion is seen as a veiled message to China that has been increasing its military muscle-flexing in the Indo-Pacific. The Japanese foreign minister said that the next Quad Leaders' Summit will take place in Japan in the first half of 2022. (With inputs from agencies)

In Melbourne, Quad leaders call out North Korea, make veiled references to China, Pakistan

United States State Secretary Antony Blinken began bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar in Australia ahead of the QUAD meet.

Blinken holds bilateral talks with Jaishankar ahead of QUAD meet

Close on the heels of Quad foreign ministers meet in Melbourne, Australian high commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell has said that the gathering is a sign of return to "in-person meetings".

Speaking exclusively to WION’s Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal, envoy Barry called the “incredibly important meeting” a demonstration of “four countries talking about the need to maintain a rules-based order within our region”.&nbsp;

On Friday, the foreign ministers of India, Australia, the US &amp; Japan met in Melbourne in an in-person meet after a gap of over one year. The last in-person meeting took place in Japan in 2020.

In Delhi, the Indian and Australian Trade Ministers announced that an interim free trade agreement (FTA) would be finalised in a month's time.

Meanwhile, speaking on the possibility of the India-Australia-France trilateral meeting in Paris, the envoy said that the 3 countries have “never lost sight” to the “commitment on the Indo pacific”.&nbsp;

The ties between Australia and France had nosedived following the singing of the AUKUS pact between Washington, London and Canberra, a fallout that was seen on another trilateral meeting.

WION: How do you see the Quad meet that happened in Melbourne, in terms of its significance?

Barry O'Farrell: It is an incredibly important meeting that is demonstrated by the in-person presence of foreign ministers of four countries who are talking about the need to maintain a rules-based order in our region. That fits nicely with what we are doing in Delhi. Both Indian and Australian governments are trying to prioritise growth to make counting strong at the time of geopolitical uncertainty

WION: China has hit out at Quad. What are your views on that?

Barry O'Farrell: Great thing about this is that Quad countries continue to do what they do, focusing on practical things that are impacting people's lives in the Indo-Pacific—climate change, health, securing supply chains to build the economies. What we are doing in Delhi today is in line with what the Quad wants—which is free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, rules-based system.

WION: In Delhi, it has been decided that an interim FTA will be signed this month. How far progress has been made?

Barry O'Farrell: Notably, considerable progress is being made. Both the countries’ PMs will be happy when they get a report on what is going on in the last couple of days. But ultimately, what we seeking to do is to maximize the opportunity within both countries and to assist each other to grow economies, create jobs, give people better- iving standards and deliver free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific, which PM Modi said is the sacred duty of Australia and India.

WION: A Memorandum of Understanding on tourism was also signed. How will it help in increasing tourism?

Barry O'Farrell: It will become convenient for Indians to come to Australia from February 21, when our borders will be open. Currently, no extra cost on visas is levied. But this is just a return to what was happening during the pre-pandemic when we saw strong tourism between India and Australia. It was not just Indians coming to Australia, but Australians were also going to India.

WION: Can we see more high-level visits between the two sides?

Barry O'Farrell: What we have seen with the Quad meeting today is the return to normalcy—the return of in-person meetings. We have seen trade negotiators from Australia this week. Our trade minister is meeting face-to-face with his Indian counterpart. We will see Indian ministers going to Australia in a couple of months.

WION: Australian FM is going to France. It is an important visit. Will we see India-France-Australia trilateral meet, given the AUKUS somewhat might turned out to be a wheel back?

Barry O'Farrell: One thing is that France, Australia and India have never lost sight of their commitment to the Indo-Pacific. Fact that the Australian FM is going to Paris later this month is a great thing, but whether the proposed trilateral happen is up to the Indian and French foreign ministers as well.

Close on the heels of Quad foreign ministers meet in Melbourne, Australian high commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell has said that the gathering is a sign of return to "in-person meetings".

Close on the heels of Quad foreign ministers meet in Melbourne, Australian high commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell has said that the gathering is a sign of return to "in-person meetings". Speaking exclusively to WION’s Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal, envoy Barry called the “incredibly important meeting” a demonstration of “four countries talking about the need to maintain a rules-based order within our region”. On Friday, the foreign ministers of India, Australia, the US & Japan met in Melbourne in an in-person meet after a gap of over one year. The last in-person meeting took place in Japan in 2020. In Delhi, the Indian and Australian Trade Ministers announced that an interim free trade agreement (FTA) would be finalised in a month's time. Meanwhile, speaking on the possibility of the India-Australia-France trilateral meeting in Paris, the envoy said that the 3 countries have “never lost sight” to the “commitment on the Indo pacific”. The ties between Australia and France had nosedived following the singing of the AUKUS pact between Washington, London and Canberra, a fallout that was seen on another trilateral meeting. WION: How do you see the Quad meet that happened in Melbourne, in terms of its significance? Barry O'Farrell: It is an incredibly important meeting that is demonstrated by the in-person presence of foreign ministers of four countries who are talking about the need to maintain a rules-based order in our region. That fits nicely with what we are doing in Delhi. Both Indian and Australian governments are trying to prioritise growth to make counting strong at the time of geopolitical uncertainty WION: China has hit out at Quad. What are your views on that? Barry O'Farrell: Great thing about this is that Quad countries continue to do what they do, focusing on practical things that are impacting people's lives in the Indo-Pacific—climate change, health, securing supply chains to build the economies. What we are doing in Delhi today is in line with what the Quad wants—which is free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, rules-based system. WION: In Delhi, it has been decided that an interim FTA will be signed this month. How far progress has been made? Barry O'Farrell: Notably, considerable progress is being made. Both the countries’ PMs will be happy when they get a report on what is going on in the last couple of days. But ultimately, what we seeking to do is to maximize the opportunity within both countries and to assist each other to grow economies, create jobs, give people better- iving standards and deliver free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific, which PM Modi said is the sacred duty of Australia and India. WION: A Memorandum of Understanding on tourism was also signed. How will it help in increasing tourism? Barry O'Farrell: It will become convenient for Indians to come to Australia from February 21, when our borders will be open. Currently, no extra cost on visas is levied. But this is just a return to what was happening during the pre-pandemic when we saw strong tourism between India and Australia. It was not just Indians coming to Australia, but Australians were also going to India. WION: Can we see more high-level visits between the two sides? Barry O'Farrell: What we have seen with the Quad meeting today is the return to normalcy—the return of in-person meetings. We have seen trade negotiators from Australia this week. Our trade minister is meeting face-to-face with his Indian counterpart. We will see Indian ministers going to Australia in a couple of months. WION: Australian FM is going to France. It is an important visit. Will we see India-France-Australia trilateral meet, given the AUKUS somewhat might turned out to be a wheel back? Barry O'Farrell: One thing is that France, Australia and India have never lost sight of their commitment to the Indo-Pacific. Fact that the Australian FM is going to Paris later this month is a great thing, but whether the proposed trilateral happen is up to the Indian and French foreign ministers as well.

In-person Quad meet is a sign of return to normalcy, says Australian envoy Barry O'Farrell

Foreign ministers are convening a crucial meeting in Melbourne with a focus on countering china's expansionism in the Indo-Pacific region and mounting tensions between Russia and the West over the Ukraine conflict.

Quad reiterates support for a rule-based order during Foreign Ministers' meeting in Melbourne

Quad counters China expansionism in Indo-Pacific

Foreign ministers are addressing the press after their first in-person QUAD meeting hosted by Australia's foreign minister. Top diplomats seek to bolster cooperation in areas including economy, security, coronavirus pandemic and free and open Indo-Pacific. WION's Sidhant Sibal brings in more information on it.

Quad to deepen maritime cooperation critical to regional stability: Blinken

Antony Blinken is expected to raise the Ukraine stand-off at the foreign ministers' meeting of the QUAD. Is Washington trying to drag its pacific allies into the crisis? How must the QUAD respond? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas Ukraine Direct: US to raise Russia-Ukraine stand-off at QUAD meet?

China on Wednesday lambasted against the upcoming Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting on Friday and accused the members, including India and US, of creating a bloc confrontation and having a “cold war mentality.”

In a media briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the four-nation alliance should stop driving wedges between regional countries.

"We oppose exclusive blocs to create bloc confrontation,” Lijian said while answering a question on the Foreign Ministers' meeting of the Quad.

"We hope that the US and relevant countries can get a clear picture of the situation, feel relaxed, abandon the Cold War mentality, stop driving wedges between regional countries and contribute to regional peace, stability and prosperity,” he said.

The Quad came into being in November 2017, when the US, Australia, India and Japan 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.

The foreign ministers from the four countries will be participating in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue in Melbourne on Friday.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that it will be an opportunity for the ministers to follow up on their virtual meeting held in February last year and exchange views on regional strategic issues given their shared vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

The Quad meeting comes amid heightened tension over Russia’s military buildup on the Ukrainian border.

The four countries are expected to reaffirm the importance of the rules-based order and discuss the challenges posed to it by China, said Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs while speaking to reporters in Washington on February 4.

He also said the Ukraine situation, in which it is feared Russia will further invade its neighbouring country, could be a topic to be dealt with in the Quad context, given that the four countries are key democracies in the Indo-Pacific and the issue involves a threat to the rules-based global order.

“In this era of intense competition, changing strategic landscapes, economic coercion and, of course, this very difficult global pandemic, there is no greater global partnership than what we’re trying to accomplish through the Quad,” the official said.

The last Quad foreign ministerial meeting held in person was in October 2020 in Japan. The leaders of the Quad met at the White House in September last year, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is planning to host the next summit in his country in the spring.

(With inputs from agencies)

China on Wednesday lambasted against the upcoming Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting on Friday and accused the members, including India and US, of creating a bloc confrontation and having a “cold war mentality.

China on Wednesday lambasted against the upcoming Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting on Friday and accused the members, including India and US, of creating a bloc confrontation and having a “cold war mentality.” In a media briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the four-nation alliance should stop driving wedges between regional countries. "We oppose exclusive blocs to create bloc confrontation,” Lijian said while answering a question on the Foreign Ministers' meeting of the Quad. "We hope that the US and relevant countries can get a clear picture of the situation, feel relaxed, abandon the Cold War mentality, stop driving wedges between regional countries and contribute to regional peace, stability and prosperity,” he said. The Quad came into being in November 2017, when the US, Australia, India and Japan 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. The foreign ministers from the four countries will be participating in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue in Melbourne on Friday. India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that it will be an opportunity for the ministers to follow up on their virtual meeting held in February last year and exchange views on regional strategic issues given their shared vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. The Quad meeting comes amid heightened tension over Russia’s military buildup on the Ukrainian border. The four countries are expected to reaffirm the importance of the rules-based order and discuss the challenges posed to it by China, said Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs while speaking to reporters in Washington on February 4. He also said the Ukraine situation, in which it is feared Russia will further invade its neighbouring country, could be a topic to be dealt with in the Quad context, given that the four countries are key democracies in the Indo-Pacific and the issue involves a threat to the rules-based global order. “In this era of intense competition, changing strategic landscapes, economic coercion and, of course, this very difficult global pandemic, there is no greater global partnership than what we’re trying to accomplish through the Quad,” the official said. The last Quad foreign ministerial meeting held in person was in October 2020 in Japan. The leaders of the Quad met at the White House in September last year, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is planning to host the next summit in his country in the spring. (With inputs from agencies)

China lambasts Quad summit in Australia, says 'stop driving wedges between regional countries'

India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will head to Australia in February for the annual Quad (India, Japan, Australia and the United States) foreign ministers' meeting. The&nbsp;meet is expected to take place in Melbourne in mid-February.

The visit will be his first visit to Australia as the external affairs minister, and it is also likely to be his first foreign visit in the year 2022. Other than the multilateral aspect of the visit, a substantial bilateral component is also expected during his Australia tour.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation quoted Australian Foreign minister Marise Payne who, in a statement, said that the quad meet is a "Further demonstration of the Morrison government’s efforts to actively shape and influence our region and world by deepening partnerships at a time of strategic competition, threats to liberal international order and increasing uncertainty".

The last meeting of Quad FMs took place in October 2020. Since then, Quad has been elevated to leaders level. The year 2021 saw two Quad summits. The first one was virtual. The second in-person summit took place in Washington.

Quad summits will take place annually now. The summit will take place in Japan later this year, followed by in India next year. Quad, whose key focus is on vaccines and cooperation in Indo-Pacific is viewed suspiciously by China.

EAM Jaishankar is also expected to visit France in February. The country will host a meet on Indo-Pacific on February 22nd involving foreign ministers of Europe, and other parts of the world including India, and Australia. France holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union for a period of first six months of this year.

India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will head to Australia in February for the annual Quad (India, Japan, Australia and the United States) foreign ministers' meeting.

India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will head to Australia in February for the annual Quad (India, Japan, Australia and the United States) foreign ministers' meeting. The meet is expected to take place in Melbourne in mid-February. The visit will be his first visit to Australia as the external affairs minister, and it is also likely to be his first foreign visit in the year 2022. Other than the multilateral aspect of the visit, a substantial bilateral component is also expected during his Australia tour. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation quoted Australian Foreign minister Marise Payne who, in a statement, said that the quad meet is a "Further demonstration of the Morrison government’s efforts to actively shape and influence our region and world by deepening partnerships at a time of strategic competition, threats to liberal international order and increasing uncertainty". The last meeting of Quad FMs took place in October 2020. Since then, Quad has been elevated to leaders level. The year 2021 saw two Quad summits. The first one was virtual. The second in-person summit took place in Washington. Quad summits will take place annually now. The summit will take place in Japan later this year, followed by in India next year. Quad, whose key focus is on vaccines and cooperation in Indo-Pacific is viewed suspiciously by China. EAM Jaishankar is also expected to visit France in February. The country will host a meet on Indo-Pacific on February 22nd involving foreign ministers of Europe, and other parts of the world including India, and Australia. France holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union for a period of first six months of this year.

In February, EAM Jaishankar heads to Australia for Quad FMs meet

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to travel to Australia in February to meet counterparts from Japan, India and Australia to discuss Indo-Pacific coordination, the Australian government said on Monday.

The two-day meeting of the&nbsp;Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) foreign ministers comes amid the Biden administration's concerns about China, even as tensions with Russia over Ukraine rachet up in Europe.

China has previously denounced the&nbsp;Quad&nbsp;as a Cold War construct and a clique "targeting other countries".

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne did not specify a date for the meeting but said in a statement she looked forward to welcoming the&nbsp;Quad&nbsp;foreign ministers to Australia in the coming weeks.

"We are a vital network of liberal democracies cooperating to give our region strategic choices, with a focus on practical steps to build the resilience and sovereignty of all states," Payne said.

The government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison is deepening Australia's partnerships in the region amid "strategic competition, threats to liberal international order and increasing uncertainty", she added.

Japanese media had previously reported the&nbsp;Quad&nbsp;meeting could be held virtually because of pandemic restrictions surrounding international travel.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said in a tweet on January 27 he has tested positive for COVID-19.

Canberra officials hope the timing of the February meeting will allow Jaishankar to recover and return a negative test.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is also expected to attend.

The&nbsp;Quad&nbsp;grouping has previously discussed boosting the supply of COVID-19 vaccines to the region, supply chains for semiconductors and technology cooperation. It has also held joint naval exercises.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to travel to Australia in February to meet counterparts from Japan, India and Australia to discuss Indo-Pacific coordination, the Australian government said on Monday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to travel to Australia in February to meet counterparts from Japan, India and Australia to discuss Indo-Pacific coordination, the Australian government said on Monday. The two-day meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) foreign ministers comes amid the Biden administration's concerns about China, even as tensions with Russia over Ukraine rachet up in Europe. China has previously denounced the Quad as a Cold War construct and a clique "targeting other countries". Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne did not specify a date for the meeting but said in a statement she looked forward to welcoming the Quad foreign ministers to Australia in the coming weeks. "We are a vital network of liberal democracies cooperating to give our region strategic choices, with a focus on practical steps to build the resilience and sovereignty of all states," Payne said. The government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison is deepening Australia's partnerships in the region amid "strategic competition, threats to liberal international order and increasing uncertainty", she added. Japanese media had previously reported the Quad meeting could be held virtually because of pandemic restrictions surrounding international travel. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said in a tweet on January 27 he has tested positive for COVID-19. Canberra officials hope the timing of the February meeting will allow Jaishankar to recover and return a negative test. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is also expected to attend. The Quad grouping has previously discussed boosting the supply of COVID-19 vaccines to the region, supply chains for semiconductors and technology cooperation. It has also held joint naval exercises.

Australia to host 'Quad' meeting of foreign ministers

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that Quad consisting of the US, Japan, Australia, and India is "very much for real" and has moved "very effectively and well" in the past year.

India | Quad Is Very Much For Real: S Jaishankar

There are great benefits here on earth as a result of space exploration activities and continued human presence in Low Earth Orbit, according to Colonel Pam Melroy, NASA’s deputy administrator.

“Climate change is an existential crisis, the best place to monitor earth, is from space… There are a lot of problems to solve… We go to space to benefit life on earth and those who spend their effort on it, see a direct line of sight.”

The top American official was in discussion with heads of space agencies from the Quad countries (Japan, Australia, India, US), hosted as part of the Sydney Dialogue, by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.&nbsp;

“Traditionally government agencies carried out space activities, but there has been increased activity in low earth orbit (LEO) in the last decade. In the midst of this, ordinary people and astronauts are going to space. Increasing access to space can create new services on earth and improve life here” agrees Dr. Hiroshi Yamakawa, President, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency(JAXA).

On the need for greater collaboration between Quad countries, he added that the Future Lunar exploration has to be a joint effort, as there exists the possibility of having a manned space station in the vicinity of the moon, which can enable sustained exploration in the region and also on the Lunar surface. The Japanese Space agency head emphasised&nbsp;the need for multi-national missions to Mars that would be led by Quad countries, owing to the high costs of manned missions.&nbsp;

Despite being a recent entrant, the Australian Space Agency hopes to build upon its long legacy of having performed and facilitated deep space communications, remote operations and space medicine, life sciences, to further their spacefaring ambitions.

It is noteworthy that, unlike the other three Quad countries, Australia doesn’t yet have a standalone, independent space-faring programme and that they work with other agencies and countries to jointly perform missions.

However, the Australian Space Agency wants to grow big and grow quick. “We are looking to nurture and foster industry, by investing on R&amp;D , by offering grants, special programmes, working with other space agencies and instilling confidence abut there being a market” says Enrico Palermo, Head, Australian Space Agency.&nbsp;

Asked about Australia having its own human spaceflight programme, Palermo expressed optimism and said that they would have a shot eventually, considering the increasing easy accessibility to space and rapid miniaturisation of technological and aerospace components.

Elaborating on Australia’s geographic advantages, open ranges, experience in space medicine and life sciences, deep space communication networks, he said that Australia would end up in a position to have an Astronaut programme.

He also made a mention of Australia’s communication and tracking support being offered to India’s Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight programme and NASA’s Artemis, Manned Lunar exploration programme.&nbsp;

“NASA is an engine to drive commercial development and space exploration is the fuel for this engine… Pushing ourselves to do something super challenging is the fuel,” said&nbsp;Melroy, a former NASA astronaut.

According to her, NASA would be a facilitator that would provide funding, strike partnerships, open doors and nurture private players to go forward in the exploration of deep space.&nbsp;

“Sustained presence in Low Earth Orbit had helped us understand and develop more efficient combustion engines, key processes in the human body, insights for medicine development etc.” she said, regarding some of the breakthroughs facilitated by astronauts’ presence in the International Space station labs.

On NASA’s future plans, Melroy said, "we intend to handoff LEO (500-200km orbit) to commercial partners, so that we can put more investment into expanding out into the solar system.

“If we continue to do everything on our own, it would be very tough to find the resources for it” she said on the importance of having private companies undertaking important spacefaring and support missions.&nbsp;

It is significant to note that the Indian government had announced reforms in the country’s space sector, in 2020, to enable private players to perform end-to-end spacefaring activities including designing, owning, building of rockets, satellites, launching of rockets and spacecrafts, providing support and ground services.

The Indian space sector has been dominated by the state-run ISRO since the very inception of India’s space programme, while private companies were only vendors and suppliers of components and services.

However, the latest reforms in India are aimed at opening up this lucrative industry, that is estimated to be worth $440 billion&nbsp;worldwide.&nbsp;

There are great benefits here on earth as a result of space exploration activities and continued human presence in Low Earth Orbit, according to Colonel Pam Melroy, NASA’s deputy administrator.

There are great benefits here on earth as a result of space exploration activities and continued human presence in Low Earth Orbit, according to Colonel Pam Melroy, NASA’s deputy administrator. “Climate change is an existential crisis, the best place to monitor earth, is from space… There are a lot of problems to solve… We go to space to benefit life on earth and those who spend their effort on it, see a direct line of sight.” The top American official was in discussion with heads of space agencies from the Quad countries (Japan, Australia, India, US), hosted as part of the Sydney Dialogue, by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. “Traditionally government agencies carried out space activities, but there has been increased activity in low earth orbit (LEO) in the last decade. In the midst of this, ordinary people and astronauts are going to space. Increasing access to space can create new services on earth and improve life here” agrees Dr. Hiroshi Yamakawa, President, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency(JAXA). On the need for greater collaboration between Quad countries, he added that the Future Lunar exploration has to be a joint effort, as there exists the possibility of having a manned space station in the vicinity of the moon, which can enable sustained exploration in the region and also on the Lunar surface. The Japanese Space agency head emphasised the need for multi-national missions to Mars that would be led by Quad countries, owing to the high costs of manned missions. Despite being a recent entrant, the Australian Space Agency hopes to build upon its long legacy of having performed and facilitated deep space communications, remote operations and space medicine, life sciences, to further their spacefaring ambitions. It is noteworthy that, unlike the other three Quad countries, Australia doesn’t yet have a standalone, independent space-faring programme and that they work with other agencies and countries to jointly perform missions. However, the Australian Space Agency wants to grow big and grow quick. “We are looking to nurture and foster industry, by investing on R&D , by offering grants, special programmes, working with other space agencies and instilling confidence abut there being a market” says Enrico Palermo, Head, Australian Space Agency. Asked about Australia having its own human spaceflight programme, Palermo expressed optimism and said that they would have a shot eventually, considering the increasing easy accessibility to space and rapid miniaturisation of technological and aerospace components. Elaborating on Australia’s geographic advantages, open ranges, experience in space medicine and life sciences, deep space communication networks, he said that Australia would end up in a position to have an Astronaut programme. He also made a mention of Australia’s communication and tracking support being offered to India’s Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight programme and NASA’s Artemis, Manned Lunar exploration programme. “NASA is an engine to drive commercial development and space exploration is the fuel for this engine… Pushing ourselves to do something super challenging is the fuel,” said Melroy, a former NASA astronaut. According to her, NASA would be a facilitator that would provide funding, strike partnerships, open doors and nurture private players to go forward in the exploration of deep space. “Sustained presence in Low Earth Orbit had helped us understand and develop more efficient combustion engines, key processes in the human body, insights for medicine development etc.” she said, regarding some of the breakthroughs facilitated by astronauts’ presence in the International Space station labs. On NASA’s future plans, Melroy said, "we intend to handoff LEO (500-200km orbit) to commercial partners, so that we can put more investment into expanding out into the solar system. “If we continue to do everything on our own, it would be very tough to find the resources for it” she said on the importance of having private companies undertaking important spacefaring and support missions. It is significant to note that the Indian government had announced reforms in the country’s space sector, in 2020, to enable private players to perform end-to-end spacefaring activities including designing, owning, building of rockets, satellites, launching of rockets and spacecrafts, providing support and ground services. The Indian space sector has been dominated by the state-run ISRO since the very inception of India’s space programme, while private companies were only vendors and suppliers of components and services. However, the latest reforms in India are aimed at opening up this lucrative industry, that is estimated to be worth $440 billion worldwide.

“We go to space to benefit life on earth”, says NASA deputy administrator at Quad space officials' meet

The world is witnessing a space race of sorts again with entry of private companies in the domain previously exclusive to government space agencies. Questions are often raised about whether we need to spend billions on space when we have pressing issues here on Earth. But it has been seen the technological and scientific frontiers heralded by space exploration has often led to advancement of science and tech on Earth.

"There’s great benefits here on earth as a result of space exploration activities and continued human presence in Low Earth Orbit," says Colonel Pam Melroy, a former NASA Astronaut who is currently NASA’s deputy administrator.&nbsp;

“Climate change is an existential crisis, the best place to monitor earth, is from space… There are a lot of problems to solve… We go to space to benefit life on Earth and those who spend their effort on it see a direct line of sight.”&nbsp;

The top American official was in discussion with heads of space agencies from the Quad countries (Japan, Australia, India, US), hosted as part of the Sydney Dialogue, by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.&nbsp;

“Traditionally government agencies carried out space activities, but there has been increased activity in low earth orbit (LEO) in the last decade. In the midst of this, ordinary people and astronauts are going to space. Increasing access to space can create new services on Earth and improve life here,” agrees Dr Hiroshi Yamakawa, president, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency(JAXA).&nbsp;

On the need for greater collaboration between Quad countries, he added that the future lunar exploration has to be a joint effort, as there exists the possibility of having a manned space station in the vicinity of the Moon, which can enable sustained exploration in the region and also on the lunar surface. The Japanese space agency head emphasised the need for multi-national missions to Mars that would be led by Quad countries, owing to the high costs of manned missions.&nbsp;

Despite being a recent entrant, the Australian Space Agency hopes to build upon its long legacy of having performed and facilitated deep space communications, remote operations and space medicine, life sciences, to further its spacefaring ambitions.&nbsp;

It is noteworthy that, unlike the other Quad countries, Australia doesn’t yet have a standalone, independent space-faring programme and that they work with other agencies and countries to jointly perform missions. However, the Australian Space Agency wants to grow big and grow quick.&nbsp;

“We are looking to nurture and foster industry, by investing on R&amp;D, by offering grants, special programmes, working with other space agencies and instilling confidence about there being a market” says Enrico Palermo, Head, Australian Space Agency.&nbsp;

Asked about Australia having its own human spaceflight programme, Palermo expressed optimism and said that they would have a shot eventually, considering the increasing easy access to space and rapid miniaturization of technological, aerospace components. Elaborating on Australia’s geographic advantages, open ranges, experience in space medicine and life sciences, deep space communication networks, he said that Australia would end up in a position to have an astronaut programme. He also made a mention of Australia’s communication and tracking support being offered to India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme and NASA’s Artemis, manned lunar exploration programme.&nbsp;

“NASA is an engine to drive commercial development and space exploration is the fuel for this engine… Pushing ourselves to do something super challenging is the fuel..” Says the former NASA Astronaut. According to her, NASA would be a facilitator that would provide funding, strike partnerships, open doors and nurture private players to go forward in the exploration of deep space.&nbsp;

“Sustained presence in low Earth orbit had helped us understand and develop more efficient combustion engines, key processes in the human body, insights for medicine development etc.” she said.

On NASA’s future plans, Melroy said that the agency intends to handoff LEO (500-200 km orbits) to commercial partners, so that it can put more investment into expanding out into the solar system.&nbsp;

“If we continue to do everything on our own, it would be very tough to find the resources for it” she said on the importance of having private companies undertaking important spacefaring and support missions.&nbsp;

It is significant to note that the Indian government had announced reforms in the country’s space sector, in 2020, to enable private players to perform end-to-end spacefaring activities including designing, owning, building rockets, satellites, launching rockets and spacecrafts, providing support and ground services etc. The Indian Space sector has been dominated by the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation, since the very inception of India’s space programme, while private companies were only vendors and suppliers of components and services. However, the latest reforms in India are aimed at opening up this lucrative industry, which is estimated to be worth $440 billion worldwide.&nbsp;

The world is witnessing a space race of sorts again with entry of private companies in the domain previously exclusive to government space agencies. Questions are often raised about whether we need to spend billions on space when we have pressing issues here on Earth.

The world is witnessing a space race of sorts again with entry of private companies in the domain previously exclusive to government space agencies. Questions are often raised about whether we need to spend billions on space when we have pressing issues here on Earth. But it has been seen the technological and scientific frontiers heralded by space exploration has often led to advancement of science and tech on Earth. "There’s great benefits here on earth as a result of space exploration activities and continued human presence in Low Earth Orbit," says Colonel Pam Melroy, a former NASA Astronaut who is currently NASA’s deputy administrator. “Climate change is an existential crisis, the best place to monitor earth, is from space… There are a lot of problems to solve… We go to space to benefit life on Earth and those who spend their effort on it see a direct line of sight.” The top American official was in discussion with heads of space agencies from the Quad countries (Japan, Australia, India, US), hosted as part of the Sydney Dialogue, by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. “Traditionally government agencies carried out space activities, but there has been increased activity in low earth orbit (LEO) in the last decade. In the midst of this, ordinary people and astronauts are going to space. Increasing access to space can create new services on Earth and improve life here,” agrees Dr Hiroshi Yamakawa, president, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency(JAXA). On the need for greater collaboration between Quad countries, he added that the future lunar exploration has to be a joint effort, as there exists the possibility of having a manned space station in the vicinity of the Moon, which can enable sustained exploration in the region and also on the lunar surface. The Japanese space agency head emphasised the need for multi-national missions to Mars that would be led by Quad countries, owing to the high costs of manned missions. Despite being a recent entrant, the Australian Space Agency hopes to build upon its long legacy of having performed and facilitated deep space communications, remote operations and space medicine, life sciences, to further its spacefaring ambitions. It is noteworthy that, unlike the other Quad countries, Australia doesn’t yet have a standalone, independent space-faring programme and that they work with other agencies and countries to jointly perform missions. However, the Australian Space Agency wants to grow big and grow quick. “We are looking to nurture and foster industry, by investing on R&D, by offering grants, special programmes, working with other space agencies and instilling confidence about there being a market” says Enrico Palermo, Head, Australian Space Agency. Asked about Australia having its own human spaceflight programme, Palermo expressed optimism and said that they would have a shot eventually, considering the increasing easy access to space and rapid miniaturization of technological, aerospace components. Elaborating on Australia’s geographic advantages, open ranges, experience in space medicine and life sciences, deep space communication networks, he said that Australia would end up in a position to have an astronaut programme. He also made a mention of Australia’s communication and tracking support being offered to India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme and NASA’s Artemis, manned lunar exploration programme. “NASA is an engine to drive commercial development and space exploration is the fuel for this engine… Pushing ourselves to do something super challenging is the fuel..” Says the former NASA Astronaut. According to her, NASA would be a facilitator that would provide funding, strike partnerships, open doors and nurture private players to go forward in the exploration of deep space. “Sustained presence in low Earth orbit had helped us understand and develop more efficient combustion engines, key processes in the human body, insights for medicine development etc.” she said. On NASA’s future plans, Melroy said that the agency intends to handoff LEO (500-200 km orbits) to commercial partners, so that it can put more investment into expanding out into the solar system. “If we continue to do everything on our own, it would be very tough to find the resources for it” she said on the importance of having private companies undertaking important spacefaring and support missions. It is significant to note that the Indian government had announced reforms in the country’s space sector, in 2020, to enable private players to perform end-to-end spacefaring activities including designing, owning, building rockets, satellites, launching rockets and spacecrafts, providing support and ground services etc. The Indian Space sector has been dominated by the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation, since the very inception of India’s space programme, while private companies were only vendors and suppliers of components and services. However, the latest reforms in India are aimed at opening up this lucrative industry, which is estimated to be worth $440 billion worldwide.

Being in space has given us better science and tech on Earth, say top officials of Quad space agencies

Members of the&nbsp;Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD)--India, the US, Australia, and Japan--&nbsp;have largely agreed on the annual summit schedule which will happen rotationally between the four&nbsp;countries.

WION has learned that Japan will host the summit next year (2022), India in the year 2023, and&nbsp;Australia&nbsp;in 2024.

The Quad grouping was elevated to leaders level this year with the first in-person summit that happened&nbsp;in Washington on September 24.&nbsp;

A joint statement after the summit said, "our leaders and foreign ministers will meet annually and our senior officials will meet regularly".

The September Quad summit saw US President Biden&nbsp;hosting Australian PM Scott Morrison, Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga, and Indian PM Narendra Modi.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/how-can-india-help-vietnam-in-the-disputed-south-china-sea-428966" hreflang="en">How can India help Vietnam in the disputed South China Sea?</a>

One of the biggest outcomes of that summit was the launch of the Quad Fellowship that will sponsor 100 students per year, 25 from each Quad country, to pursue masters and doctoral degrees at leading STEM (science technology engineering and mathematics) graduate universities in the United States.

The&nbsp;Quad grouping is also working on High-Standards Infrastructure, forming a Green-Shipping Network, establishing a Clean-Hydrogen Partnership, and launching a Semiconductor Supply Chain Initiative.

The first Quad summit took place virtually on March 12. One of the key outcomes of that summit was the Quad&nbsp;vaccine initiative under which Covid&nbsp;vaccines will be developed in the US, manufactured in India, financed by Japan and US, and supported by Australia.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-us-ties-22-meet-in-december-us-congressional-delegation-meets-pm-modi-429103" hreflang="en">India, US ties: 2+2 meet in December; US Congressional delegation meets Modi</a>

Quad first came into existence after the 2004 tsunami and saw some formalisation in 2007. At that time Australia had issues, with the grouping again meeting a decade later in 2017 at the official level.

Since 2019, Quad has had regular conversations at the foreign ministers' level. Quad is currently seen as a core element of the Indo-Pacific strategy supported by Washington and New Delhi.

The Indo-Pacific vision, which sees Indian and Pacific oceans as a common entity is now being backed by many countries.&nbsp;Quad&nbsp;is seen very suspiciously by&nbsp;China&nbsp;which has termed it "Asian&nbsp;Nato" something that has been dismissed by the grouping.&nbsp;

Members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD)--India, the US, Australia, and Japan-- have largely agreed on the annual summit schedule which will happen rotationally between the four countries.

Members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD)--India, the US, Australia, and Japan-- have largely agreed on the annual summit schedule which will happen rotationally between the four countries. WION has learned that Japan will host the summit next year (2022), India in the year 2023, and Australia in 2024. The Quad grouping was elevated to leaders level this year with the first in-person summit that happened in Washington on September 24. A joint statement after the summit said, "our leaders and foreign ministers will meet annually and our senior officials will meet regularly". The September Quad summit saw US President Biden hosting Australian PM Scott Morrison, Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga, and Indian PM Narendra Modi. Also read | How can India help Vietnam in the disputed South China Sea? One of the biggest outcomes of that summit was the launch of the Quad Fellowship that will sponsor 100 students per year, 25 from each Quad country, to pursue masters and doctoral degrees at leading STEM (science technology engineering and mathematics) graduate universities in the United States. The Quad grouping is also working on High-Standards Infrastructure, forming a Green-Shipping Network, establishing a Clean-Hydrogen Partnership, and launching a Semiconductor Supply Chain Initiative. The first Quad summit took place virtually on March 12. One of the key outcomes of that summit was the Quad vaccine initiative under which Covid vaccines will be developed in the US, manufactured in India, financed by Japan and US, and supported by Australia. Also read | India, US ties: 2+2 meet in December; US Congressional delegation meets Modi Quad first came into existence after the 2004 tsunami and saw some formalisation in 2007. At that time Australia had issues, with the grouping again meeting a decade later in 2017 at the official level. Since 2019, Quad has had regular conversations at the foreign ministers' level. Quad is currently seen as a core element of the Indo-Pacific strategy supported by Washington and New Delhi. The Indo-Pacific vision, which sees Indian and Pacific oceans as a common entity is now being backed by many countries. Quad is seen very suspiciously by China which has termed it "Asian Nato" something that has been dismissed by the grouping.

Quad summits on the anvil: Japan in 2022, India in 2023, Australia in 2024

External affairs minister Dr. S Jaishankar has said that India, UAE, US, and Israel--also termed as West Asian Quad--will be meeting in the&nbsp; coming&nbsp;week.

In response to a question at the India Pavilion at the Dubai Expo, EAM said,&nbsp;&nbsp;"you know, we had the initial meeting a month ago...that was hybrid meeting...we had to have follow up session on that. We agree on exactly how we go...that follow up meeting will take place in coming weeks probably in Dubai."

The West Asian Quad met on October 18, during EAM's Israel visit, with, United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and US Secretary of state Antony Blinken joining virtually. Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Indian EAM were together in person.&nbsp;One of the key focuses of the quad meet was issues like trade, climate, and maritime security.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/quad-summits-on-the-anvil-japan-in-2022-india-in-2023-australia-in-2024-429119" hreflang="en">Quad summits on the anvil: Japan in 2022, India in 2023, Australia in 2024</a>

The Quad meeting is seen as one of the key dividends of the Abraham accords that saw the normalisation of ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. UAE was the first country in the Persian Gulf to normalize ties with Israel.

India has strong ties with both Israel and UAE in West Asia and since the accords were signed, they have worked in a trilateral arrangement. In May, the three&nbsp;countries signed the first-ever pact that involves producing robotic solar cleaning technology in India for a project in UAE by an Israel-based company Ecoppia. The trilateral partnership was initiated by the International Federation of Indo-Israel Chambers of Commerce (IFIICC).

During the press conference, a question was asked on the Indian covid vaccine, COVAXIN's getting recognition by UAE, to which Indian envoy to UAE, &nbsp;Pavan Kapoor said,&nbsp;"UAE has clearly said in the past, they recognise all WHO-approved vaccines.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-us-ties-22-meet-in-december-us-congressional-delegation-meets-pm-modi-429103" hreflang="en">India, US ties: 2+2 meet in December; US Congressional delegation meets PM Modi</a>

COVAXIN is WHO-recognised and it is very much recognised by UAE. WHO gave authorisation to the Indian vaccine earlier this month. New Delhi has also formally taken up with UAE, the need to remove rapid tests for covid at the airport given increased vaccination, low level of Covid-positive cases in India.&nbsp;

Indian expatriate community of around 3.3 million is the largest ethnic community in UAE constituting roughly about 30 per cent of the country’s population. Among the Indian States, Kerala is the most represented followed by Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Indians from the Northern States also form a significant portion of the UAE Indian population.

During the Dubai visit, EAM had meetings with UAE FM Zayed, FM Jean Asselborn of Luxembourg, Slovakia FM Ivan Korcok and Cyprus FM Nikos Christodoulides. The FM of&nbsp;Cyprus&nbsp;also paid a visit to India Pavilion at the mega expo.

External affairs minister Dr. S Jaishankar has said that India, UAE, US, and Israel--also termed as West Asian Quad--will be meeting in the coming week. In response to a question at the India Pavilion at the Dubai Expo, EAM said, "you know, we had the initial meeting a month ago.

External affairs minister Dr. S Jaishankar has said that India, UAE, US, and Israel--also termed as West Asian Quad--will be meeting in the coming week. In response to a question at the India Pavilion at the Dubai Expo, EAM said, "you know, we had the initial meeting a month ago...that was hybrid meeting...we had to have follow up session on that. We agree on exactly how we go...that follow up meeting will take place in coming weeks probably in Dubai." The West Asian Quad met on October 18, during EAM's Israel visit, with, United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and US Secretary of state Antony Blinken joining virtually. Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Indian EAM were together in person. One of the key focuses of the quad meet was issues like trade, climate, and maritime security. Also read | Quad summits on the anvil: Japan in 2022, India in 2023, Australia in 2024 The Quad meeting is seen as one of the key dividends of the Abraham accords that saw the normalisation of ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. UAE was the first country in the Persian Gulf to normalize ties with Israel. India has strong ties with both Israel and UAE in West Asia and since the accords were signed, they have worked in a trilateral arrangement. In May, the three countries signed the first-ever pact that involves producing robotic solar cleaning technology in India for a project in UAE by an Israel-based company Ecoppia. The trilateral partnership was initiated by the International Federation of Indo-Israel Chambers of Commerce (IFIICC). During the press conference, a question was asked on the Indian covid vaccine, COVAXIN's getting recognition by UAE, to which Indian envoy to UAE, Pavan Kapoor said, "UAE has clearly said in the past, they recognise all WHO-approved vaccines. Also read | India, US ties: 2+2 meet in December; US Congressional delegation meets PM Modi COVAXIN is WHO-recognised and it is very much recognised by UAE. WHO gave authorisation to the Indian vaccine earlier this month. New Delhi has also formally taken up with UAE, the need to remove rapid tests for covid at the airport given increased vaccination, low level of Covid-positive cases in India. Indian expatriate community of around 3.3 million is the largest ethnic community in UAE constituting roughly about 30 per cent of the country’s population. Among the Indian States, Kerala is the most represented followed by Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Indians from the Northern States also form a significant portion of the UAE Indian population. During the Dubai visit, EAM had meetings with UAE FM Zayed, FM Jean Asselborn of Luxembourg, Slovakia FM Ivan Korcok and Cyprus FM Nikos Christodoulides. The FM of Cyprus also paid a visit to India Pavilion at the mega expo.

India, UAE, US and Israel 'West Asian Quad' meet in next few weeks: EAM Jaishankar

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