External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday held talks with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy in Rome on a range of issues, including the developments in the Indo-Pacific and the conflict in West Asia.
India’s economic diplomacy has become a crucial component of its broader strategic engagements, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed concern over ongoing conflicts in various parts of the world at the 19th East Asia Summit at Vientiane, Lao PDR and said this is not the age of war and solutions to problems cannot be found in the battlefield.
The Quad will stand up for a free and open Indo-Pacific region in all eventualities, White House officials have said, adding that there is no dilution in terms of its focus.
In a major initiative, Quad leaders launched an ''Indo-Pacific Logistics Network'' pilot project to pursue shared airlift capacity among the four member nations and leverage their collective logistics strengths, to support civilian response to natural disasters more rapidly and efficiently across the Indo-Pacific region.
The logic behind such a policy stance is two-fold. First, it recognises that a multipolar world order as opposed to a bipolar Cold War two-bloc system is the way the geopolitical cards have fallen.
US Secretary of Defence Austin's visit to India comes a fortnight before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to the US during which defence accords are expected to be signed between the two countries.
The two leaders are slated to hold a bilateral later there. The two leaders will also co-host the FIPIC III Summit, fostering regional cooperation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stresses the need for free, open, inclusive Indo-Pacific at Quad Summit
As a democratic, affluent country which has punched below its weight in the international system, South Korea now appears ready to carve out a larger role for itself.
