Ambassadors from Quad Nations – Australia, India, Japan and the United States – stressed the importance of tackling the global pandemic, climate change and the renewed commitment to a rules-based international order then that they were meeting here before the Quad Leaders Summit hosted by the United States. President Joe Biden next week.

The Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Ambassador TS Tirumurti, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations Kimihiro Ishikane and the Ambassador of Australia with global body Mitch Fifield met on Thursday, just days before the start of the high-level session of the United Nations General Assembly.

“Today, the #UN Quad Ambassadors (Australia, India, Japan and United States) met again in #NewYork to discuss cooperation and common interests,” the permanent mission of the Quad said on Thursday. India to the UN in a tweet.

“At the start of # UNGA76, ​​Quad Ambassadors stressed the importance of tackling the global pandemic, climate change and renewing the commitment to a rules-based international order,” he said. he said in the tweet,

Their meeting also precedes the Quad Leaders Summit in Washington DC hosted by President Biden on September 24.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan will attend the Quadrilateral Framework Leaders’ Summit in Washington and “review the progress made since their first virtual summit on March 12, 2021 and will discuss regional issues of common interest, “the Foreign Ministry said in a statement in New Delhi.

“As part of their continued efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, they will be reviewing the Quad Vaccine initiative which was announced in March of this year,” he said.

They will also exchange views on contemporary global issues such as critical and emerging technologies, connectivity and infrastructure, cybersecurity, maritime security, humanitarian aid / disaster relief, climate change and the education, he said.

“The summit would provide a valuable opportunity for dialogue and interactions between leaders, rooted in their shared vision of ensuring a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region,” MEA said.

In November 2017, India, Japan, the United States and Australia gave shape to the long-standing proposal to create the Quad to develop a new strategy to maintain critical Indo-Pacific sea routes. sheltered from any influence.

Developments in the Indo-Pacific region following China’s increase in military might have become a major topic of discussion among major world powers.

Beijing claims almost all of the 1.3 million square miles of the South China Sea as its sovereign territory. China has built military bases on man-made islands in the region also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. In the East China Sea, China has territorial disputes with Japan.

The United States periodically sends its naval and air patrols to the South China Sea, challenging China’s claims to sovereignty over the region and also asserting freedom of navigation.

Prime Minister Modi will travel to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly after concluding his commitments in Washington.

He will address the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 25.

The theme of this year’s general debate is “Building resilience through hope to recover from COVID-19, to rebuild sustainably, to meet the needs of the planet, to respect the rights of people and to revitalize United Nations, ”the MEA statement added.