As the world remains in the grip of Covid-19, economic recovery and quick vaccine production will be the focal point of discussion among leaders of four large democracies — India, the US, Japan, and Australia — who are scheduled to meet at the first-ever Quad meet on Friday.
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), is a strategic forum comprising India, the US, Japan, and Australia.
Sources familiar with the development said, “The most significant among the deliverables envisaged for the summit is the vaccine initiative. Covid vaccines will be developed in the US, manufactured in India, financed by Japan and the US, and supported by Australia. The vaccine initiative will allow new manufacturing capacity to be added in India for exports to the Indo-Pacific region. It will not impinge on our existing manufacturing capacities.”
This pooling of individual capacities and strengths by Quad countries is aimed at expediting global vaccine delivery. It will help meet the demand-supply gap, focusing on the Indo-Pacific region. It will add momentum to ongoing efforts to contain the pandemic.
“India’s role in the Quad vaccine initiative will project and re-enforce India’s credentials as a trusted, reliable manufacturer and supplier of quality vaccines. It will appreciably expand our Vaccine Maitri effort. It will strengthen India’s standing as the ‘pharmacy of the world’, as a critical node in global health supply chains, and as a selfless contributor to global health security,” the source said.
Leaders of the Quad countries will meet on Friday in a virtual summit. The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi will participate, along with Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison and Prime Minister of Japan Yoshihide Suga, and President of US Joseph R Biden, in the historic summit, the first leadership-level engagement for Quad.