First Quad summit: US President Biden greets PM Modi, says 'It's great to see you'

US President Joe Biden spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the first summit of the Quad or Quadrilateral coalition on Friday. It was the first time Modi and Biden came face-to-face after the American leader took charge in Washington in January.

"Prime Minister Modi... it's great to see you," President Biden, greeted PM Modi as he welcomed him to speak.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "It is good to be among friends. I thank President Biden for this initiative. We are united by our democratic values and our commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Our agenda today covers areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies make the Quad a force for global good."

Speaking at the First Quad Leaders’ Virtual Summit. https://t.co/Ypom6buHxS

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 12, 2021

Besides Modi and Biden, the virtual summit of the Quad was attended by Australian PM Scott Morrison and Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga.

US President Joe Biden in his opening remarks said that a free and open Indo-Pacific is essential for the future of each of the grouping's member countries, and the US is committed to ensuring the region is governed by international law and free of coercion.

"The Quad is going to be a vital arena for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. And I look forward to working closely with all of you in the coming years," he added.

The United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Friday (local time) said that the leaders of the Quad nations will hold an in-person summit later this year.

Speaking at a White House Press briefing, Sullivan said that the Quad leaders summit focussed on the challenges posed by China.

"The four leaders did discuss the challenge posed by China and they made clear that none of them had any allusions about China. Today was not fundamentally about China--much of the focus was on pressing global crises," Sullivan said.

He added, "The leaders also agreed that they would meet in person by the end of the year and they launched a set of working groups including a technology group that would help set standards in key technologies like 5G. The Quad is a critical part of the architecture of the Indo-Pacific and today's summit also kicks of an intensive stretch of diplomacy in the region."

During the first Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), the four leaders - the US, Australia, India and Japan - stressed for a free, open and rule-based Indo-Pacific region that is "anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion".

In a joint statement, the Quad leaders said: "We bring diverse perspectives and are united in a shared vision for the free and open Indo-Pacific. We strive for a region that is free, open, inclusive, healthy, anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion."

"Today, the global devastation caused by COVID-19, the threat of climate change, and security challenges facing the region summon us with renewed purpose," they said.

The Quad is a strategic forum comprising India, Japan, Australia and the United States of America, held its first-ever head of states meet virtually on Friday.

(With agency inputs)