Foreign Minister S Jaishankar unveiled the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Japan, The member countries of ‘Quad’ (Quaternary Security Dialogue), including India, on Monday reiterated their strong commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and said that no country should dominate another country and competition should be managed responsibly. This statement of ‘Quad’ is being seen as a clear message to China.
At the meeting, the foreign ministers of the ‘Quad’ countries also called for maintaining a free and open rules-based international order and respecting the principles of independence of nations, human rights, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Quad also pledged to work towards a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. The region has seen an increase in China’s military presence in the last few years. The ministers said, ‘We reaffirm the Quad’s strong commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region that is inclusive and resilient. We adhere to the principles of freedom, human rights, rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity and “we are united in our commitment to maintaining a free and open rules-based international order with our strong support for the peaceful resolution of disputes.”
Foreign Minister Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong participated in this meeting. In the statement, the ministers said, ‘All countries have a role to play in contributing to regional peace, stability and prosperity. We want a region in which no country dominates and no country dominates another country, competition is managed responsibly, every country is free from all forms of pressure and can determine its own future.
On the first day of his two-day visit, the External Affairs Minister unveiled the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Edogawa, Japan. During this, he said that ‘at a time when conflicts are increasing all over the world, there is a lot of tension and polarization, there is bloodshed. In such a situation, it is very important that we should remember the message of Mahatma Gandhi that peace cannot come from the battlefield and this is also not the era of war. This message is as effective today as it was 80 years ago.
My opening statement at the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tokyo.
🇮🇳 🇯🇵 🇦🇺 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/pZmji7clSz
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 29, 2024
- Jaishankar participates in the meeting of Quad foreign ministers
The Foreign Minister met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his visit to Japan. After the meeting, the Foreign Minister wrote in a post shared on social media that ‘Our bilateral agenda is continuously moving forward. A wide range of regional and international issues were discussed in our meeting. Looking forward to attending the Quad meeting tomorrow. In November 2017, India, Japan, the US and Australia established the Quad to keep vital sea lanes in the Indian Pacific free from any influence. The South China Sea is located at the junction between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. China claims most of the South China Sea, while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims over the maritime area.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is on a visit to Japan from July 28-30. During this, he is participating in the Quad meeting with the foreign ministers of Australia, Japan and America. A meeting of Quad leaders is to be held in India later this year. In such a situation, the outline of the meeting of Quad leaders can be prepared in the Foreign Minister level meeting. The meeting of foreign ministers of Quad was earlier to be held in January this year, but due to some reasons this meeting was postponed.
Despite the Russia-Ukraine war, India was maintaining a balance in its relations with Russia and the Western countries, but PM Modi’s recent visit to Russia has angered the Western countries. America and Ukraine raised questions on the timing of PM Modi’s visit to Russia. In such a situation, India may again have to face a lot of challenges in maintaining balance on both sides.