ANI
Hiroshima [Japan]May 21st
Sources say US President Joe Biden asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an autograph on Saturday after figuring out how to handle large crowds.
Yesterday during the Quad meeting, President Joe Biden approached Prime Minister Modi and informed him that he was facing a challenge with a barrage of requests from prominent citizens to join Prime Minister Modi’s broadcast.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who was also present, added that Sydney had a capacity of 20,000 for the community reception but was still unable to accommodate the requests coming in.
Both President Biden and Prime Minister Albanese complained to Prime Minister Modi about their particular challenges.
Prime Minister Albanese also recalled how more than 90,000 people greeted Prime Minister Modi during the victory lap at Narendra Modi Stadium.
Joe Biden told Prime Minister Modi, “I should take your autograph.” Prime Minister Modi is in Japan to attend the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Japan.
The prime minister is visiting the East Asian country at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida.
Japan is hosting the G7 summit as the current leader of the powerful group. Prime Minister Modi is in Hiroshima from May 19-21 for the G7 summit.
Prime Minister Modi said on Saturday that India stands ready to host the next Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) meeting in 2024.
“We look forward to hosting the Quad Summit in India in 2024,” Prime Minister Modi said in opening remarks at the Quad meeting held on the sidelines of a Group of Seven (G-7) summit in Hiroshima, Japan .
Prime Minister Modi addressed the leaders of the US, Australia and Japan, who together with Japan form the informal strategic forum called the Quadrilateral Grouping, whose main goal is to work for a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
“Quad will continue to work for the global good, people’s well-being, prosperity and peace,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Earlier this week, the planned summit of Quad leaders from the US, India, Australia and Japan in Sydney was canceled after US President Biden called off his visit to Washington over ongoing debt limit negotiations.
However, the Whites agreed on Friday (local time) to hold the summit in Hiroshima, Japan.
“After President Biden had to postpone his trip to Australia, the Quad leaders agreed that they would hold their summit in Hiroshima to ensure the four leaders could come together to celebrate the Quad’s progress over the past year. So tomorrow, in addition to G7 President Biden, he will attend the third face-to-face meeting of the Quad Leaders with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” White House Press Secretary Karine said in a statement Jean-Pierre.
Biden scrapped his planned trip to Sydney and a historic visit to Papua New Guinea. The decision – which prompted Albanese to cancel the planned Quad Summit – was seen as a self-inflicted blow to hopes of a more visible US presence in the Indo-Pacific amid competition from China in the region.
US President Biden thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for agreeing to attend the Quad meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit here.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement Friday (local time) that the Quads leaders had agreed to hold their summit in Hiroshima to ensure the four leaders could come together to review the Quads’ progress to appreciate over the past year.
“In addition to exchanging strategic views, leaders will welcome new forms of Quad cooperation in the areas of secure digital technology, submarine cables, infrastructure capacity building and maritime awareness,” the statement continued.
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