Hand On PM Modi’s Shoulder, Biden Says Quad Will Survive ‘Way Beyond November’ | Video

When a reporter shouted a question at US President Joe Biden on Saturday, asking if the Quad would survive beyond the election in November, “Way beyond November. Way beyond November,” the president said, with one hand on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s shoulder.

This year’s Quad summit was to be held in India but Biden welcomed the three leaders for the QUAD Leadership Summit at the Archmere Academy in his hometown, Wilmington.

He was keen to hold the event in his hometown as this was a farewell summit for Biden as he nears the end of his term in office.

Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, also echoed the same sentiment when he said that Quad is ‘here to stay’ and is ‘not against anyone’. In a subtle reference to China, PM Modi said leaders of Quad seek a rules-based international order and respect for sovereignty, in a veiled reference to China.

While delivering the inaugural remarks at the summit, Joe Biden said nations of the Quadrilateral coalition are democracies who get things done.

“We’re democracies who know how to get things done,” Biden said.

Scholarships, Maritime Technologies

US President Biden said Quad partners will be provided with new maritime technologies and the Quad fellowship will be expanded to include students from southeast Asia.

“Today we’re announcing a series of initiatives to deliver a real positive impact for the Indo-Pacific that includes providing new maritime technologies to our regional partners so they know what’s happening in their waters. Launching cooperation between Coast Guards for the first time, and expanding the Quad fellowship to include students from southeast Asia,” the US President said.