Quad Summit Cancelled: PM Modi Will Go Ahead With Bilateral Engagements in Sydney

With the Quad Summit not set to take place in Sydney, the same is likely to be held in Hiroshima, on the margins of the G7 summit.

US President, Joe Biden had cancelled his trop to Australia due to the crucial deb-ceiling talks in Washington. Following this Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese had announced that the Quad leaders's summit will not take place in Sydney.

However Prime Minister Narendra Modi will continue his scheduled trip to Australia as bilateral engagements have been lined up, which includes a meeting with Albanese. The PM will also be meeting with top CEOs and the Indian diaspora in Sydney.

On Wednesday, Biden had announced that he would postpone the Australia leg od his Asia trip, along with that of Papua New Guinea due to the uncertainty and intense negotiations with the opposition Republican. Party to ensure that America does not default on its debt for the first time in history.

"The Quad leaders' meeting will not be going ahead in Sydney next week," Albanese had said.

ll be having that discussion between Quad leaders in Japan. I thank Prime Minister (Fumio) Kishida for his invitation for me to attend the G7 and it is appropriate that we talk. The Quad is an important body and we want to make sure that it occurs at the leadership level and we'll be having that discussion over the weekend," he added.

He also said, " all four leaders - President Biden, Prime Minister Kishida, Prime Minister Modi and myself - will be at the G7, held in Hiroshima on Saturday and Sunday. We are attempting to get together over that period of time (and) I'll have a bilateral discussion with President Biden."

He however added that PM Modi will still travel to Australia.

"Prime Minister Modi will be here next week for a bilateral meeting with myself," Albanese told ABC Radio in Brisbane. Modi will also have business meetings and will hold a very public event at Homebush, at the Olympic Park in Sydney," the Australian PM also said.

The engagements of PM Modi will remain unchanged, barring the Quad Summit in Sydney.

The Ministry of External Affairs announced that PM Modi will be on a three-nation tour starting Friday, which included his visit to Australia from May 22 to 24.

In the first leg of the visit, the PM would visit Hiroshima from May 19 to 21 for the G7 annual summit. From there he would travel to Papua New Guinea where he will co-host the third summit of the forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation on May 22.