Wilmington (US): Top leaders of Quad unveiled major steps to expand maritime security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and called for lasting peace in Ukraine with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserting that the grouping is for a rules-based global order and respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations.
In the annual Quad summit hosted by outgoing US President Joe Biden at his hometown state of Delaware, the leaders, without directly naming China, expressed serious concern over the situation in the East and South China Seas and condemned the "dangerous" use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels.
Besides Modi and Biden, the fourth in-person summit was attended by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese.
Amid growing global concerns over Chinese assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, the Quad leaders strongly opposed any "destabilising or unilateral" actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion.
"We seek a region where no country dominates and no country is dominated -- one where all countries are free from coercion, and can exercise their agency to determine their futures," the leaders said in a joint statement. In his address, Modi said an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific is a shared priority of the Quad.
A key outcome of the summit was a decision on having joint coast guard operations under which a first-ever "Quad-at-Sea" ship observer mission will be launched in 2025 to advance maritime safety and to continuing with further missions in future across the Indo-Pacific.
The leaders also announced a new regional Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI), to enable partners to maximize tools provided through Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) and other Quad initiatives. The initiative is aimed at monitoring and securing waters, enforce laws, and deter unlawful behaviour.
"We look forward to India hosting the inaugural MAITRI workshop in 2025. Furthermore, we welcome the launch of a Quad maritime legal dialogue to support efforts to uphold the rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific," the leaders said.
In addition, Quad partners intend to layer new technology and data into IPMDA over the coming year, to continue to deliver cutting-edge capability and information to the region.
The leaders also announced the launch of a Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network pilot project, to pursue shared airlift capacity among the nations and leverage collective logistics strengths, in order to support civilian response to natural disasters across the Indo-Pacific region. On Ukraine, the leaders expressed "deepest concern" over the raging war in that country, including its "terrible and tragic" humanitarian consequences.
"Each of us has visited Ukraine since the war began, and seen this first-hand; we reiterate the need for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in line with international law, consistent with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity," they said in the joint statement.
The leaders noted the negative impacts of the war in Ukraine with regard to global food and energy security, especially for developing and least-developed countries. "In the context of this war, we share the view that the use, or threat of use, of nuclear weapons is unacceptable."
"We underscore the importance of upholding international law, and in line with the UN Charter, reiterate that all states must refrain from the threat of or use of force against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state," they said. Modi, Biden, Kishina and Albanese said they share a great interest in achieving peace and stability in the Middle East.
The leaders also "unequivocally" condemned the October 7 terror attacks by Hamas on Israel. "The large-scale loss of civilian lives and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is unacceptable," they said.
"We affirm the imperative of securing the release of all hostages held by Hamas, and emphasize that the deal to release hostages would bring an immediate and prolonged ceasefire in Gaza," they added.
The Quad leaders underscored the urgent need to significantly increase deliveries of life-saving humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza as well as the crucial need to prevent regional escalation. "We urge all parties to comply with international law, including international humanitarian law, as applicable," they said.
