(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
In the run-up to the Quad summit in April-May this year, the foreign ministers of the grouping are meeting in Melbourne, Australia on Friday to operationalize the arrangement on Indo-Pacific, vaccine delivery, critical and emerging technologies, and global security environment.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar left for the Quad ministerial via Qatar on Wednesday with India being clear that the security grouping should consolidate its gains and reflect policies on ground before talking about expansion of the arrangement. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japanese foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, and Australian foreign minister Marise Ann Payne will be attending the crucial meeting at a time when China is belligerent towards Quad partners over Taiwan and is dragging its feet over fully resolving a 22-month-long standoff in Ladakh with India.
After attending the Quad meeting, Jaishankar will hold bilateral discussions with his Australian counterpart with a possible meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
The two countries have rapidly cemented ties post 2014. Today, Australia is one of India's key partners with Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally invested in improving the bilateral relationship with Canberra as both the middle-powers have convergence on host of issues.
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