The index has cited economic growth, future potential, and diplomatic influence as key factors for India’s rise.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

India ranks third in the annual Asia Power Index, released by an Australian think tank, surpassing Japan on the back of strong post-COVID 19 economic growth, while China’s power appeared to plateau just below the United States.

The Sydney-based Lowy Institute has put the U.S. at the top of its Asia Power Index with a score of 81.7, followed by China with a score of 72.7, India (39.1), Japan (38.9), Australia (31.9) and Russia (31.1).

The Index ranks 27 countries and territories in terms of their capacity to shape their external environment — its scope reaching as far west as Pakistan, as far north as Russia, and as far into the Pacific as Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S.

The index has cited economic growth, future potential, and diplomatic influence as key factors for India’s rise. However, it has pointed out that New Delhi’s clout remains below the potential promised by its resources.

“India has shown remarkable post-pandemic economic recovery, contributing to a 4.2-point rise in its economic capability. India’s massive population and strong GDP growth reinforce its standing as the world’s third-largest economy in PPP terms,” the think tank has said.

It has been noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership has garnered greater international recognition.

Also Read: Our message is clear, Quad is here to stay: PM Modi at Leaders’ Summit

The think tank has said India’s non-aligned strategic posture has allowed it to navigate complex international waters effectively.

It has said India’s participation in dialogues as well as its leadership in the Quad has allowed New Delhi to play a significant role in regional security dynamics, albeit outside of formal military alliances.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian speaks during a press conference in Beijing, China. File.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

China on Monday (September 23, 2024) termed Quad as a tool used by the U.S. to contain Beijing, asserting that interference by any external force will not shake its determination to uphold its “sovereignty and maritime rights” in the disputed South and East China Seas.

The Quad, identified as the premier regional grouping in the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, is a tool used by Washington to contain China to perpetuate its hegemony, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a media briefing, fielding a spate of questions on the Quad summit.

Also read | Our message is clear, Quad is here to stay: PM Modi at Leaders’ Summit

Hosted by President Joe Biden, the Quad Summit took place on Saturday in his hometown Wilmington, Delaware. The summit was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan.

Mr. Lin accused the U.S. of pooling together countries to muster military and security cooperation under the pretext of maritime issues to contain China by peddling the China threat narrative.

The U.S. says Qaud doesn’t target China but the highest on its agenda is China, he said in a veiled reference to informal comments by Biden to fellow Quad leaders.

Mr. Biden was caught on a hot mic telling leaders of the Quad nations that China was testing them, thus reflecting upon the American seriousness of the emerging Chinese threat.

“We believe [Chinese President] Xi Jinping is looking to focus on domestic economic challenges and minimise the turbulence in China,” Mr. Biden told the leaders at the Summit.

The U.S. is lying through its teeth and even the media doesn’t believe it, Mr. Lin said, replying to a question about Mr. Biden’s comments.

Ganging up to form exclusive groupings undermines the mutual trust and cooperation between the regional countries, Mr. Lin said.

It runs counter to the overall trend of pursuing peace, development cooperation and prosperity in the Asia Pacific and it is bound to fail, he said.

Ever since the Quad started taking shape in 2007, China has been saying that the four-member grouping will be bound to fail. But much to the chagrin of Beijing, it picked up pace in the recent years emerging as a premier strategic group especially challenging China’s assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea.

In 2018, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi termed the Quad as a headline-grabbing idea and will dissipate like foam in the sea.

Commenting on the steady evolution of Quad and the outcome of the Delaware summit, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post said “By any measure, the Quad summit culminates a remarkable transformation for the framework of four nations over the course of its 17-year history”.

About the Quad summit expressing grave concern over the situation in the South China Sea and East China Sea, Lin said external interference will not shake China’s resolve to uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

China claims most of the South China Sea. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping claims.

The East China Sea dispute concerns claims and counterclaims by China and Japan.

Mr. Lin said the situation in the South China Sea and East China Sea is stable. Some countries outside the region are trying to interfere in China’s internal affairs by forming exclusive circles to escalate the situation.

“I want to stress that any inference of any forces will not shake China’s firm determination to uphold its territorial sovereignty, maritime rights interests, regional peace and stability,” he said, adding that China will lodge diplomatic protests to countries if they take any action to undermine Beijing’s sovereignty.

He also parried questions over the Quad announcing its first joint Coast Guard Mission at Sea and strengthening cooperation in the Indian Ocean region.

The Quad joint statement said, “We remain committed to strengthening cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. We strongly support IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association) as the Indian Ocean region’s premier forum for addressing the region’s challenges. We recognize India’s leadership in finalising the IORA Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (IOIP) and express our support for its implementation”.

Mr. Lin said that cooperation between countries should be conducive to regional peace and prosperity rather than forming exclusive circles to undermine mutual trust and cooperation between countries.

China is open to countries for normal cooperation but relevant cooperation should not target other countries and undermine regional cooperation, peace and stability, he said.

Watch: Quad is here to stay, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday arrived in the U.S. for the annual Quad Summit.

In his opening remarks at the summit, PM Modi said that the Quad is not against anyone, but for a rules-based international order and respect for sovereignty. “Our message is clear – Quad is here to stay, to assist, to partner and to complement,” he said. A free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific is the grouping’s priority, Mr. Modi said, without naming any country. The leaders of the Quad group of countries met at their sixth summit-level meeting to announce a broad range of outcomes.

PM Modi in U.S. live updates – September 22, 2024

These included launching a new coast guard exercise, a logistics network, expanding maritime surveillance, and a project to combat cervical cancer.

The Quad summit holds immediate significance and takes place against the backdrop of pressing global challenges and transitions in leadership among some member nations.

Mr. Modi met U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese PM Kishida, and Australian PM Albanese for bilateral talks before the event.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today gifted an antique silver hand-engraved train model to US President Joe Biden. The Prime Minister, who is in the US for a three-day trip, met Mr Biden in his hometown Wilmington, Delaware, ahead of the Quad Leaders’ Summit.

The train model was customised by inscribing “DELHI-DELAWARE” on the sides of the main carriage and “INDIAN RAILWAYS” on the sides of the engine in English and Hindi based on the standard format used on passenger trains in India.

Crafted by artisans from Maharashtra, which is renowned for its rich heritage in silver craftsmanship, the model is made of 92.5% silver, officials said.

PM Modi also gifted a Kashmiri pashmina shawl to First Lady Jill Biden.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi said he held an “extremely fruitful” meeting with Mr Biden during which the two leaders discussed ways to further enhance bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest and exchanged views on global and regional issues including the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

PM Modi was welcomed by Mr Biden at his residence in Greenville, Delaware, where the two leaders hugged each other. The US President held PM Modi’s hand as he led him into the house where the bilateral talks took place.

“I thank President Biden for hosting me at his residence in Greenville, Delaware. Our talks were extremely fruitful. We had the opportunity to discuss regional and global issues during the meeting,” PM Modi posted on X after the meeting which lasted more than an hour.

I thank President Biden for hosting me at his residence in Greenville, Delaware. Our talks were extremely fruitful. We had the opportunity to discuss regional and global issues during the meeting. @JoeBidenpic.twitter.com/WzWW3fudTn

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 21, 2024

Mr Biden also took to X and said the United States’ partnership with India is “stronger, closer, and more dynamic than any time in history”.

“Prime Minister Modi, each time we sit down, I’m struck by our ability to find new areas of cooperation. Today was no different,” he wrote.

A joint statement issued after the bilateral meeting said the India-US partnership is “decisively delivering on an ambitious agenda that serves the global good”, calling it the “defining partnership of the 21st century”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today gifted an antique silver hand-engraved train model to US President Joe Biden. The Prime Minister, who is in the US for a three-day trip, met Mr Biden in his hometown Wilmington, Delaware, ahead of the Quad Leaders’ Summit.

The train model was customised by inscribing “DELHI-DELAWARE” on the sides of the main carriage and “INDIAN RAILWAYS” on the sides of the engine in English and Hindi based on the standard format used on passenger trains in India.

Crafted by artisans from Maharashtra, which is renowned for its rich heritage in silver craftsmanship, the model is made of 92.5% silver, officials said.

PM Modi also gifted a Kashmiri pashmina shawl to First Lady Jill Biden.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi said he held an “extremely fruitful” meeting with Mr Biden during which the two leaders discussed ways to further enhance bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest and exchanged views on global and regional issues including the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

PM Modi was welcomed by Mr Biden at his residence in Greenville, Delaware, where the two leaders hugged each other. The US President held PM Modi’s hand as he led him into the house where the bilateral talks took place.

“I thank President Biden for hosting me at his residence in Greenville, Delaware. Our talks were extremely fruitful. We had the opportunity to discuss regional and global issues during the meeting,” PM Modi posted on X after the meeting which lasted more than an hour.

I thank President Biden for hosting me at his residence in Greenville, Delaware. Our talks were extremely fruitful. We had the opportunity to discuss regional and global issues during the meeting. @JoeBidenpic.twitter.com/WzWW3fudTn

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 21, 2024

Mr Biden also took to X and said the United States’ partnership with India is “stronger, closer, and more dynamic than any time in history”.

“Prime Minister Modi, each time we sit down, I’m struck by our ability to find new areas of cooperation. Today was no different,” he wrote.

A joint statement issued after the bilateral meeting said the India-US partnership is “decisively delivering on an ambitious agenda that serves the global good”, calling it the “defining partnership of the 21st century”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Japan PM Kishida Fumio, and Australia’s Anthony Albanese – met for the fourth in-person Quad Leaders Summit in Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday. In a joint statement, they said the four-member Quad is a “force for good” and is “more strategically aligned” than ever before.

“Four years since elevating the Quad to a leader-level format, the Quad is more strategically aligned than ever before and is a force for good that delivers real, positive, and enduring impact for the Indo-Pacific. We celebrate the fact that over just four years, Quad countries have built a vital and enduring regional grouping that will buttress the Indo-Pacific for decades to come,” the Wilmington Declaration joint statement said.

Key Takeaways From Quad Summit:

Quad Cancer Moonshot

The four leaders have launched a Quad Cancer Moonshot in a bid to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer in the Indo-Pacific, with an initial focus on cervical cancer.

According to the statement, the Quad Cancer Moonshot is projected to save hundreds of thousands of lives over the coming decades.

Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission

They also announced the first-ever “Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission” in 2025, which they said will improve interoperability and advance maritime safety between the Indian Coast Guard and its US, Japan, and Australian counterparts.

Indo-Pacific Logistics Network

A Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network pilot project was also launched today to support civilian response to natural disasters more rapidly and efficiently across the Indo-Pacific region.

Quad Ports

The “Quad Ports of the Future Partnership” was also announced to support sustainable and resilient port infrastructure development across the Indo-Pacific.

Through this new partnership, Quad partners intend to coordinate, exchange information, share best practices with partners in the region, and leverage resources to mobilize government and private sector investments in quality port infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific region.

Semiconductors

The Quad leaders also announced the finalization of a Memorandum of Cooperation for the Semiconductor Supply Chains Contingency Network to facilitate collaboration in addressing semiconductor supply chain risks.

Reform UN Security Council

The four leaders also agreed to reform the UN Security Council and recognised the urgent need to make it “more “representative, inclusive, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic, and accountable” through expansion in permanent and non-permanent categories of membership of the UNSC.

At a bilateral meeting, Joe Biden also told PM Modi that the US supports initiatives to “reform global institutions to reflect India’s important voice, including permanent membership for India in a reformed UN Security Council”.

Quad’s MAITRI

Quad partners also agreed to launch a “Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific” (MAITRI) to monitor and secure their waters, enforce their laws, and deter “unlawful behavior”. India will host the inaugural MAITRI workshop during its Quad Presidency in 2025

Quad Scholarship

India announced a new initiative to award fifty Quad scholarships, worth $5,00,000, to students from the Indo-Pacific to pursue a 4-year undergraduate engineering program at a Government of India-funded technical institution.

Wilmington, US:

US President Joe Biden has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the United States supports initiatives to reform global institutions to reflect India’s important voice, including permanent membership for India in a “reformed” United Nations Security Council (UNSC). President Biden’s statement came during the Quad Leaders Summit attended by PM Modi, Japan’s PM Fumio Kishida and Australia’s Anthony Albanese on Sunday. 

The Quad leaders vowed support to reform the UNSC through expansion in permanent and non-permanent categories of membership. In a joint statement, the leaders said that the India-US partnership “is vital to the success of efforts to build a cleaner, inclusive, more secure, and more prosperous future for the planet.” 

President Biden commended India’s leadership, particularly PM Modi’s role in the G-20 and the Global South and acknowledged the PM’s recent visits to Poland and Ukraine. The discussion around India’s potential inclusion as a permanent member of the UNSC is part of a larger conversation about reforming global institutions to reflect current geopolitical realities. India, with its large population, expanding economy, and active role in international peacekeeping and diplomacy, has long advocated for such reforms. 

“The Leaders reaffirmed their support for the freedom of navigation and the protection of commerce, including critical maritime routes in the Middle East where India will assume co-lead in 2025 of the Combined Task Force 150 to work with Combined Maritime Forces to secure sea lanes in the Arabian Sea,” the joint statement added.

During the Quad summit, PM Modi reiterated the importance of a “free, open, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.” PM Modi highlighted several initiatives, including collaborations in health security, emerging technologies, and climate change, aimed at addressing global challenges. He described the Quad as a “force for global good,” committed to fostering cooperation for the benefit of all.

The US and India are working together to expand clean energy manufacturing and strengthen their technological and industrial bases. The Biden administration has announced plans to unlock $1 billion in new multilateral financing through the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) for clean energy projects in India. 

Prime Minister Modi announced a $7.5 million grant for cancer testing, screening, and diagnostics in the Indo-Pacific region. The grant forms part of India’s broader ‘One Earth, One Health’ vision, which seeks to share India’s expertise in healthcare and provide assistance in areas such as radiotherapy and capacity building.

The US and India also announced advancements in technology and defence cooperation. The Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) continues to strengthen strategic ties between the two nations in key technology sectors, including semiconductors. A new semiconductor fabrication plant will be established, supported by India’s Semiconductor Mission and a partnership with US companies like Bharat Semi and 3rdiTech.

In defence, the two countries have deepened industrial cooperation, with projects such as the co-development of unmanned surface vehicle systems by Liquid Robotics and Sagar Defence Engineering. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the Quad Leaders’ Summit, at Wilmington in Delaware on Saturday (September 21, 2024).
| Photo Credit: X/@narendramodi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (September 21, 2024) said that the Quad is not against anyone, but for a rules-based international order and respect for sovereignty.

“Our message is clear – Quad is here to stay, to assist, to partner and to complement,” Mr. Modi said in his opening remarks at the summit hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden and also attended by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Also Read: PM Modi in U.S. LIVE updates

“We are not against anybody, we are for international rules-based order, respect for sovereignty,” Mr. Modi said.

A free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific is the grouping’s priority, Mr. Modi said, without naming any country.

China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea.

China claims sovereignty over all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims.

Washington:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Philadelphia Saturday to begin his three-day US trip with the Quad Leaders’ Summit being held in Wilmington, Delaware.

The Quad Leaders’ Summit this year was earlier supposed to be held in India, but US President Joe Biden was keen to hold the event in his hometown.

This will be a farewell summit for both Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as they near the end of their terms in office — January 20, 2025, for the US president and October 1 for the Japanese prime minister.

The fourth leader attending the meeting is Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Here’s a look at previous summits

— May 20, 2023 (Hiroshima, Japan) Format: In-person Attending leaders: PM Albanese, PM Modi, PM Kishida, and President Biden Notes: Australia was the host of the summit for the year, and was supposed to hold the summit in Sydney just after the G7 Hiroshima Summit. However, President Biden postponed his trip to Australia and Papua New Guinea at the last minute due to debt ceiling negotiations with Congress. Australia hosted the summit in Hiroshima instead. According to the readout from the Japanese side, the summit lasted about 50 min.

— May 24, 2022 (Tokyo, Japan) Format: In-person Attending leaders: PM Albanese, PM Modi, PM Kishida, and President Biden Notes: Australia held its federal election on May 21, and Anthony Albanese became Australia’s 31st prime minister on May 23, the day before the summit. According to the readout from the Japanese side, it lasted about 2 hours.

— March 3, 2022 (Virtual) Format: Video Call Attending leaders: PM Scott Morrison (Australia), PM Modi, PM Kishida, and President Biden Notes: According to the readout from the Japanese side, the video call was initiated and hosted by the United States. 4 leaders mainly exchanged views on the tense situation and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. It lasted about 70 min.

— Sept 24, 2021 (Washington, DC) Format: In-person Attending leaders: PM Morrison, PM Modi, PM Yoshihide Suga (Japan), and President Biden Notes: This was the first in-person summit. PM Suga attended the summit after he announced he was stepping down as prime minister on Sept 3. Fumio Kishida became the next prime minister on Oct 4. According to the readout from the Japanese side, it lasted about 2 hour and 20 min.

— March 12, 2021 (Virtual) Format: Video Call Attending leaders: PM Morrison, PM Modi, PM Suga, and President Biden Notes: This was the first Quad Leaders’ Summit. It lasted about 1 hour and 45 min

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

At the Quad summit, new projects will be announced like a Coast Guard exercise and an initiative to fight cancer, called the Cancer Moonshot project, among others. “The U.S. Coast Guard will welcome Indian, Australian and Japanese coast guards on board its vessel in the Indo-Pacific, with other countries then taking turns to host,” a Biden administration official said, during a briefing call with reporters on Friday (September 20, 2024).

A Quad logistics network will be launched that allows for sharing cargo space on vessels and aircraft for humanitarian and disaster relief (HADR) missions.

​Read the whole story here​