US President Joe Biden forgets to introduce PM Modi at Quad final meet, asks staff, 'Who's next?'

President Joe Biden recently hosted leaders from Australia, Japan, and India in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, for what could be the final meeting of the Indo-Pacific partnership, known as the Quad, during his presidency. This gathering, centered on strengthening ties in the Indo-Pacific region, also highlighted the U.S. President’s "Cancer Moonshot" initiative. The initiative aims to accelerate efforts in cancer research and prevention, particularly in the Indo-Pacific area.

However, the meeting was not without its awkward moments. A video shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) captured President Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history at 81, briefly snapping at a staffer before introducing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The awkward incident occurred as Biden concluded his speech at the Cancer Moonshot event. After discussing the Quad's mission to combat cancer, Biden appeared unsure about the next steps in the program, saying, “So I want to thank you all for being here. And now, who am I introducing next?”

After a brief pause, during which an aide seemed to be running behind schedule, Biden asked again, “Who’s next?” Eventually, a staffer pointed to Prime Minister Modi, allowing Biden to smoothly introduce the Indian leader. As Modi took the stage, Biden quickly lightened the mood with a joke and put his arm around the Indian Prime Minister, attempting to ease any remaining tension from the earlier misstep.

Despite the light-hearted recovery, the moment garnered attention on social media. Some users on X criticized Biden, questioning his capability, while others defended the president, suggesting he was simply trying to be humorous. One user wrote, “He is completely and totally cooked — and Kamala Harris covered it up,” referring to Vice President Kamala Harris. Another user commented, “A longer version of the clip shows he’s either being funny, or he’s losing it and tries to save face by being funny.”

Quad Summit Highlights: Cancer Moonshot and Indo-Pacific Cooperation
Beyond the minor slip-up, the summit’s focus remained on the Quad's objectives, particularly the Cancer Moonshot initiative. Biden expressed his appreciation for the partnership between the Quad nations, praising their ability to collaborate on important issues. “Today was no different,” he said, referring to the continued cooperation between the U.S., India, Japan, and Australia.

The Quad leaders, including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, reaffirmed their commitment to working together, especially in combating cervical cancer. Biden highlighted that this type of cancer, which is highly preventable, claims the lives of 150,000 women each year in the Indo-Pacific region. "We cannot and will not let that continue," he said, as he announced the launch of the "Quad Cancer Moonshot" to end cervical cancer around the world.

The summit concluded with the "Wilmington Declaration," a commitment by the Quad nations to keep the Indo-Pacific region free, open, inclusive, and resilient. The declaration emphasized their dedication to fostering cooperation and maintaining balance in response to China’s growing influence in the area.

The next Quad summit is scheduled to take place in India in 2025. According to a White House statement, India will also host a "Quad Regional Ports and Transportation Conference" in Mumbai that year. This shows the Quad’s continuing efforts to enhance security and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, with a focus on improving infrastructure and connectivity.

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