PM Narendra Modi and other Quad leaders – US President Joe Biden, Japan PM Fumio Kishida and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese – for the first time in a Quad leaders’ joint statement together explicitly expressed their “deep concern” over the war raging in Ukraine, while mourning what they called its terrible and tragic humanitarian consequences.
Recalling Modi’s remark to President Vladimir Putin last year, the leaders said “conscious that ours must not be an era of war, we remain committed to dialogue and diplomacy”.
Modi announced in his opening remarks that India will host the Quad summit next year. In a message also to China, while reaffirming commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, the Quad leaders said they were united by their pursuit of a region where no country dominates and no country is dominated.
The detailed mention of Ukraine in the statement issued after the summit in Hiroshima is significant as India, while still not condemning Russia unlike other Quad member-states, seems to have given up its initial reluctance to talk over Ukraine in Quad, a forum it sees as focused primarily on the Indo-Pacific. The joint statement issued after the last leaders’ summit in May 2022, while underlining the significance of the UN Charter, sovereignty and territorial integrity, only said that the leaders discussed their respective responses to the conflict in Ukraine and the “ongoing tragic humanitarian crisis”. The statement issued after the summit on Saturday also described the threat of use of nuclear weapons as serious and inadmissible.
“We stand for adherence to international law, peaceful resolution of disputes and respect for principles of the UN Charter, including territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states. Today we express our deep concern over the war raging in Ukraine and mourn its terrible and tragic humanitarian consequences,” said the joint statement, while expressing support for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace consistent with the UN Charter.
Modi emphasised on the importance of consolidating Quad’s constructive agenda and delivering tangible outcomes for the region. The summit reiterated its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestation, including cross-border terrorism, and its call for bringing the perpetrators of terror attacks like 26/11 and Pathankot airbase attack to justice.
Amid China’s continued assertiveness in the region, Quad also strongly opposed “destabilising or unilateral actions” that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion in the joint statement. It emphasised the importance of adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the maintenance of freedom of navigation and overflight, in addressing challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including those in the East and South China Seas.
“We express serious concern at the militarisation of disputed features, the dangerous use of coastguard and maritime militia vessels, and efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities. We emphasise that disputes should be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, without threat or use of force,” said the joint statement. The summit also saw announcement about several initiatives in areas like clean energy, cable connectivity and resilience and infrastructure.
Recalling Modi’s remark to President Vladimir Putin last year, the leaders said “conscious that ours must not be an era of war, we remain committed to dialogue and diplomacy”.
Modi announced in his opening remarks that India will host the Quad summit next year. In a message also to China, while reaffirming commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, the Quad leaders said they were united by their pursuit of a region where no country dominates and no country is dominated.
The detailed mention of Ukraine in the statement issued after the summit in Hiroshima is significant as India, while still not condemning Russia unlike other Quad member-states, seems to have given up its initial reluctance to talk over Ukraine in Quad, a forum it sees as focused primarily on the Indo-Pacific. The joint statement issued after the last leaders’ summit in May 2022, while underlining the significance of the UN Charter, sovereignty and territorial integrity, only said that the leaders discussed their respective responses to the conflict in Ukraine and the “ongoing tragic humanitarian crisis”. The statement issued after the summit on Saturday also described the threat of use of nuclear weapons as serious and inadmissible.
“We stand for adherence to international law, peaceful resolution of disputes and respect for principles of the UN Charter, including territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states. Today we express our deep concern over the war raging in Ukraine and mourn its terrible and tragic humanitarian consequences,” said the joint statement, while expressing support for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace consistent with the UN Charter.
Modi emphasised on the importance of consolidating Quad’s constructive agenda and delivering tangible outcomes for the region. The summit reiterated its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestation, including cross-border terrorism, and its call for bringing the perpetrators of terror attacks like 26/11 and Pathankot airbase attack to justice.
Amid China’s continued assertiveness in the region, Quad also strongly opposed “destabilising or unilateral actions” that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion in the joint statement. It emphasised the importance of adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the maintenance of freedom of navigation and overflight, in addressing challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including those in the East and South China Seas.
“We express serious concern at the militarisation of disputed features, the dangerous use of coastguard and maritime militia vessels, and efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities. We emphasise that disputes should be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, without threat or use of force,” said the joint statement. The summit also saw announcement about several initiatives in areas like clean energy, cable connectivity and resilience and infrastructure.