In 2004, an international tragedy of the tsunami arose efforts of the quadrilateral cooperation between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, united in a shared vision for the free and open Indo-Pacific. And now, in 2021, the global devastation caused by COVID-19, the rising threat of climate change, and the security challenges facing the region, summoned the leaders of the region with a renewed purpose. “The spirit of the QUAD” was highlighted as to strive for a region that is free, open, inclusive, healthy, anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion.

“QUAD” partners aim to take shared action necessary to expand safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing in 2021. A senior-level Quad Experts Group to be launched.

The first-ever leader-level summit of the Quad was committed to promoting a free, open rules-based order, rooted in international law to advance security and prosperity and counter threats to both in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. The summit, held virtually on March 12, 2021 was attended by Australian Prime Minister Scot Morrison, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japan Prime Minister YoshihideSuga, and the United States President Joe Biden.

“Our agenda today — covering areas like vaccines, climate change, and emerging technologies — make the Quad a force for global good. I see this positive vision as an extension of India’s ancient philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which regards the world as one family. We will work together, closer than ever before, for advancing our shared values and promoting a secure, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” —PM Modi.

Welcoming his counterparts during the summit. President Biden said, “In this virtual format, we’re reminded that we’re in the midst of a global crisis, but we’re going to overcome that as well. For the first time, we’re convening this group at a leader level. It’s also the first multilateral summit that I’ve had the opportunity to host as President. And on this moment, it’s a purpose that I think we all are concerned about: a free and open Indo-Pacific is essential to each of our futures, our countries. We all have to focus on generating domestic demand and driving sustainable global growth. We’re establishing a new mechanism to enhance our cooperation and raise our mutual ambitions as we address accelerating climate change.And — and we’re renewing our commitment to ensure that our region is governed by international law, committed to upholding universal values, and free from coercion. ”Biden assured that the United States is committed to working with its allies in the region to achieve stability.

This morning, I met virtually with the Quad in the first multilateral summit I’ve hosted as president. The United States, Japan, India, and Australia are committed to working together to tackle the shared challenges we face and to secure a free and open Indo-Pacific region. pic.twitter.com/m0AYfsEx6z

— President Biden (@POTUS) March 12, 2021

Further Prime Minister Modi underlined that the discussions of the summit make the QUAD a positive force for global good and for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. “We are united by our democratic values and our commitment to a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Our agenda today — covering areas like vaccines, climate change, and emerging technologies — make the QUAD a force for global good. I see this positive vision as an extension of India’s ancient philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which regards the world as one family. We will work together, closer than ever before, for advancing our shared values and promoting a secure, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Today’s summit meeting shows that QUAD had come of age. It will now remain an important pillar of stability in the region,” Modi added reiterating India’s commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific in line with our vision of SAGAR - Security and Growth for All in the Region.

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

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 12, 2021

“History teaches us that when nations engage together in a partnership of strategic trust, of common hope, and shared values, much can be achieved. When the world emerged from the Great War and our last global pandemic a century ago, it soon found a Great Depression and another global conflict that unleashed poverty and a devastation that was unthinkable. As we emerge from this global pandemic and the global recession, let us together create a different future. It is the Indo-Pacific that will now shape the destiny of our world in the 21st century,” said Prime Minister Morrison in his opening remarks.

Excellent discussions with PM @narendramodi, PM @sugawitter and @POTUS Joe Biden about our shared vision of a free, open, prosperous and resilient Indo-Pacific region and how we can continue to contribute to that as like-minded liberal democracies.https://t.co/ZzO3p5zb4w

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) March 14, 2021

Recollecting the formation of Quad following the 2004 Tsunami, Prime Minister Suga added, “With the four countries working together, I wish to firmly advance our cooperation to realise a free and open Indo-Pacific and to make visible and tangible contribution to the peace, stability, and prosperity of the region, including overcoming COVID-19.”

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— ? ?? (@sugawitter) March 12, 2021

The leaders recognised their common goals that require them to reckon with the most urgent of global pledge to respond to the economic and health impacts of COVID-19, combat climate change, and address shared challenges, including in cyber space, critical technologies, counter-terrorism, quality infrastructure investment, and humanitarian-assistance and disaster-relief as well as maritime domains. The focus was largely on the vaccine partnership, climate change, and emerging technology.

The QUAD Vaccine Partnership

While ensuring that vaccines have been made available to their people, “QUAD” partners aim to take shared action necessary to expand safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing in 2021, and will work together to strengthen and assist countries in the Indo-Pacific with vaccination, in close coordination with the existing relevant multilateral mechanisms including World Health Organisation (WHO) and COVAX to strengthen equitable vaccine access for the Indo-Pacific and bring the pandemic to an end.

The QUAD leaders plan to tackle this complex issue with multi-sectoral cooperation across many stages of action, starting with ensuring global availability of safe and effective vaccines.

Australia plans to contribute US$77 million for the provision of vaccines and “last-mile” delivery support with a focus on Southeast Asia, in addition to its existing commitment of US$407 million for regional vaccine access.

QUAD partners are working collaboratively to achieve expanded manufacturing of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines at facilities in India, prioritising increased capacity for vaccines authorised by Stringent Regulatory Authorities (SRA). They will together address financing and logistical demands for production, procurement, and delivery of safe and effective vaccines as well as work to use the shared tools and expertise, through mechanisms at institutions including the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and, as appropriate, Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC), as well as others.

“India’s formidable vaccine production capacity will be expanded with support from Japan, US & Australia to assist countries in the Indo-Pacific region,” PM Modi tweeted after the summit.

United in our fight against COVID-19, we launched a landmark Quad partnership to ensure accessibility of safe COVID-19 vaccines. India’s formidable vaccine production capacity will be expanded with support from Japan, US & Australia to assist countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 12, 2021

The United States, through the DFC, will work with Biological E Ltd., to finance increased capacity to support Biological E’s effort to produce at least 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2022 with SRA and/or WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL), including the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Japan will assist vaccination programs of developing countries through provision of grant aid of $41 million and new concessional yen loans, ensuring alignment with and support of COVAX.

Japan, through JICA, is also in discussions to provide concessional yen loans for the Government of India to expand manufacturing for COVID-19 vaccines for export, with a priority on producing vaccines that have received authorisation from WHO EUL or SRA.

QUAD partners will ensure export of vaccines for low-income countries, and countries in need. They will also cooperate to strengthen “last-mile” vaccination, building on existing health-security and development programs, and across our governments to coordinate and strengthen our programs in the Indo-Pacific.This includes supporting countries with vaccine readiness and delivery, vaccine procurement, health workforce preparedness, responses to vaccine misinformation, community engagement, immunisation capacity, and more.

The United States will leverage existing programs to further boost vaccination capability, drawing on at least $100 million in regional efforts focused on immunisation.

Australia plans to contribute US$77 million for the provision of vaccines and “last-mile” delivery support with a focus on Southeast Asia, in addition to its existing commitment of US$407 million for regional vaccine access and health security which will provide full vaccine coverage to nine Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste, and support procurement, prepare for vaccine delivery, and strengthen health systems in Southeast Asia.

Japan will assist vaccination programs of developing countries such as the purchase of vaccines and cold-chain support including through provision of grant aid of $41 million and new concessional yen loans, ensuring alignment with and support of COVAX.

The United States will leverage existing programs to further boost vaccination capability, drawing on at least $100 million in regional efforts focused on immunisation.

A senior-level QUAD Vaccine Experts Group, comprised of top scientists and officials from our government is to be launched. This group will support Quad cooperation in the long term with the use of science and evidence to design, implement, strengthen, support and make additional concrete recommendations before the end of the year.

The QUAD also reaffirmed commitment to the complete denuclearisation of North Korea, confirmed the necessity of immediate resolution of the issue of Japanese abductees, and emphasised the urgent need to restore democracy in Myanmar.

“I signed the American Rescue Plan to get the American people through this pandemic and kick start our economy and our economic recovery. It’s a bill that will get meaningful help into the hands of people in our country who need it the most. Consequently, this week, the TheOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) revised up its expected rate of growth for the United States this year as a consequence of that legislation. In fact, it doubled it from 3.2 percent to 6.5 percent; the fastest rate in one-year economic growth since 1984. And it’s critical because the OECD also predicted that the United States economic growth, fueled by the ARP and increased vaccinations, will be a key driver in global growth this year and our trade partners benefiting around the world as a consequence,” Biden added.

The American Rescue Plan means a $7,000 check for a single mom of four. It means more support to safely and quickly reopen schools. It means setting up additional vaccination sites to help America get back to normal.

What does the American Rescue Plan mean to you?

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) March 13, 2021

The QUAD Climate Working Group

The QUAD leaders brought climate change challenges to the forefront as assured that they are united in recognising that climate change is a global priority and will work to strengthen the climate actions of all nations, including, to keep a Paris-aligned temperature limit within reach. Looking forward to a successful COP 26 in Glasgow and having identified the climate challenge as a priority for the QUAD and the Indo-Pacific region, the leaders aim to establish a new QUAD Climate Working Group focused on:

• Cooperation, both among ourselves and with other countries, to strengthen implementation of the Paris Agreement, including to keep a Paris-aligned temperature limit within reach;
• Working together and with other countries to support, strengthen, and enhance actions globally;
• Committing to advancing low-emissions technology solutions to support emissions reduction;
• Cooperation on climate mitigation, adaptation, resilience, technology, capacity-building, and climate finance.

The experts and senior officials will continue to meet regularly; the QUAD Foreign Ministers will converse often and meet at least once a year and at the leader level, an in-person summit is expected by the end of 2021.

The QUAD Foreign Ministers will converse often and meet at least once a year and at the leader level, an in-person summit is expected by the end of 2021.

The QUAD Critical and Emerging Technology Working Group

The QUAD leaders noted that that a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific requires that critical and emerging technology is governed and operated according to shared interests and values. In that spirit, a Critical and Emerging Technology Working Group is planned to be convened, which will:

• Develop a statement of principles on technology design, development, and use;
• Facilitate coordination on technology standards development, including between our national technology standards bodies and working with a broad range of partners;
• Encourage cooperation on telecommunications deployment, diversification of equipment suppliers, and future telecommunications, including through close cooperation with our private sectors and industry;
• Facilitate cooperation to monitor trends and opportunities related to developments in critical and emerging technology, including biotechnology;
• Convene dialogues on critical technology supply chains.

Apart from these broad subjects, the leaders highlighted that they will continue to prioritise the role of international law in the maritime domain, particularly as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and facilitate collaboration, including in maritime security, to meet challenges to the rules-based maritime order in the East and South China Seas. The QUAD also reaffirmed commitment to the complete denuclearisation of North Korea in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions, and confirmed the necessity of immediate resolution of the issue of Japanese abductees. They also emphasised the urgent need to restore democracy and the priority of strengthening democratic resilience in Myanmar.

Hence the QUAD engagement aims to combine the nations’ medical, scientific, financing, manufacturing and delivery, and development capabilities.