Given the turbulent times, key for QUAD to further constructive agenda: Jaishankar

New York, Sep 23: External affairs minister S Jaishankaar on Friday said it was important for the QUAD grouping to go further in constructive agenda given the turbulent times.

In his opening address at the at Indo-Pacific Quad meet in New York, Jaishankar said the meeting was particularly timely because the world is going through a very difficult period, asserting that with the "global repercussions of the Ukraine conflict, we are seeing climate events and emergencies" on an unprecedented scale.

"Given the turbulent times,imp that Quad go further in constructive agenda we've set-that we work together on delivery of public goods, our efforts and particularly what we're signing today HADR partnership which we finalised in Tokyo is extremely timely," Jaishankar said.

He added that the HADR partnership, which was discussed and finalised in Tokyo, is "extremely timely." Jaishankar said there are other initiatives in the making, some little further in the pipeline like the STEM fellowship and they are working on the economic framework as well as the maritime domain awareness.

"We have other initiatives in making, some further in pipeline like STEM fellowship,we're working on economic framework though we've other partners beyond Quad on it, on maritime domain awareness. Great idea to meet regularly on sidelines of UNGA in our respective countries too," he added.

He said that the meeting is also an opportunity for the four nations together to discuss how to strengthen the UN-led multilateral system.

"Today, I think this is also an opportunity for us together to discuss how to strengthen the UN-led multilateral system," Jaishankar said.

In 2017, Japan, India, Australia and the United States. given shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the "Quad" or the Quadrilateral coalition to counter China's aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region.