India trying for Quad meeting in Japan: Foreign Secretary Kwatra

On the sidelines of the G-7 summit, Mr. Modi is expected to be joined by President Joe Biden of the U.S., Australian PM Antony Albanese and Japanese PM Kishida for a special meeting of the Quad leaders.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave on May 19 for a three-nation visit covering Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia. In Japan, Mr. Modi will participate in the G-7 summit where India is a guest country which will be followed by his visit to Papua New Guinea where he will jointly lead the summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC).

Briefing reporters on the engagements, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said on May 18 that India is planning to hold a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) on the sidelines of the G-7 meeting in Japan.

Also read: PM Modi’s Australia visit still on despite cancellation of the Quad leaders’ meeting: Premier Albanese

“India’s regular participation at the G-7 summits clearly points to increasing recognition that India should be a part of any serious effort to resolve global challenges including those of peace, security, development and environment preservation,” said Mr. Kwatra announcing the structure of India’s engagement at the G-7 meeting that will be held in Hiroshima where the leaders will visit the peace memorial of the city that pays tribute to the victims of the first use of atomic weapon in the history of the world.

PM Modi will start his engagements in Japan by unveiling a bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Hiroshima.

On the sidelines of the G-7 summit, Mr. Modi is expected to be joined by President Joe Biden of the U.S., Australian PM Antony Albanese and Japanese PM Kishida for a special meeting of the Quad leaders. The meeting was earlier scheduled to take place in Australia on May 24 but was cancelled soon after President Biden called off his Australia visit.

Also read: Australia cancels Quad meeting in Sydney after Biden postponement