NewsGate Press Network

By Vineet K. Dikshit

Much to chagrin of China, top four democracies came closer to each other on Friday the 12th, 2021 asking India to manufacture American one-shot COVID19 vaccine with US and Japanese money to be distributed worldwide by Australian logistics.

It was a virtual meeting of the QUAD leaders – Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga  – and kept promise to keep China check both militarily and on the economic front as well.

Led by Prime Minister Modi,  a joint statement issued said the four leaders are  “united in our fight against COVID-19, we launched a landmark Quad partnership to ensure accessibility of safe COVID-19 vaccines. India’s formidable vaccine production capacity will be expanded with support from Japan, US & Australia to assist countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

The American one-shot-dose COVID19 vaccine formulated by Johnson & Johnson company will be manufactured at Hyderabad based facility operated by M/s Biological E Ltd.

In his opening remarks, when PM Modi’s screen came alive in front of President Biden, the American leader said – “its great to see you (Mr Modi)’’.

As the two leaders met for the first time since the new administration took charge after the November US election. PM Modi, in his opening remarks, said the four countries were united by their democratic values and that the Quad would remain an important pillar of stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

“We are united by our democratic values, and our commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Our agenda today – covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies – makes the Quad a force for global good,” said the Prime Minister Modi added.

“We will work together, closer than ever before, for advancing our shared values and promoting a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Today’s summit meeting shows that Quad has come of age. It will now remain an important pillar of stability in the region,” he said.

President Biden, opening the meeting, said the Quad would be a vital arena for cooperation and a free and open Indo-Pacific region was essential to all of their futures. “We know our commitments…Our region is governed by international law, committed to all the universal values and free from coercion but I am optimistic about our prospect,” he said, in an apparent reference to China.

“The United States is committed to working with you and with all our allies in the region to achieve stability. This group is particularly important because it is dedicated to the practical solutions and concrete results,” the US President added.

The “Quad” or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue is an informal strategic forum of the US, Japan, Australia, and India set up in 2007. It was revived in 2017 as a buffer against Beijing. The Quad remains a strong focus for the four nations that have each had conflicts with China in recent years. In November, the Quad nations came together to participate in a two-phase joint military exercise, Malabar 2020, in the Bay of Bengal and in the Arabian Sea.

Briefing media late in the evening on the summit, Foreign Secretary in MEA, Harsh Vardhan Shringla said it was decided that India’s manufacturing capacity is something that is going to be leveraged to make COVID-19 vaccines. “The aim is to produce a billion doses by the end of 2022,” he said.

He said the financing for creation of additional capacities will come from the US and Japan while Australia will contribute to the last mile logistics and delivery help. Australia will also finance countries which are going to receive the vaccines.

The White House in a statement said that Indian company (based in Hyderabad, Telangana) M/s Biological E Ltd. would produce “at least” one billion doses by the end of next year, focusing on the one-dose, US-developed Johnson & Johnson jab that was approved Friday by the World Health Organization.

The manufacturing will be backed financially by Japan as well as the US International Development Finance Corporation, which provides funding for projects in developing countries.

“In today’s context, it is one of the most important initiatives. We are talking about huge investments in creating additional vaccine capacities in India for exports to countries in the Indo-Pacific region for their betterment. We are talking about producing a billion doses of vaccines by the end of 2022,” Mr Shringla said.

He said the summit saw Quad leaders adopting a positive agenda focusing on contemporary issues such as vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies.

The leaders of the United States, India, Australia and Japan also agreed to work together to restore democracy in Myanmar, Mr Shringla said.