Ahead of the meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in Tokyo, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Biden will raise "Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine" and food security concerns. "President [Biden] had an extended discussion with Prime Minister Modi when they did a virtual Quad Summit back in April. I think it was back in April, maybe even March. I think it was in March. And they also got to speak about it when they had a short video bilateral meeting at the top of the 2+2 when the Indian ministers came to Washington. So it won’t be a new conversation. It will be a continuation of the conversation they have already had about how we see the picture in Ukraine and the impacts of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine on a wider set of concerns in the world, including this food security concern," he said, adding that the exchange will be constructive and straightforward.
When asked whether Biden would push PM Modi on the recent wheat exports ban, Sullivan said that food security will be a topic of conversation at the Quad.
PM Modi had arrived in Japan on a two-day visit to attend a summit of the Quad leaders which is aimed at further bolstering cooperation among the member nations of the influential grouping and discussing developments in the Indo-Pacific region.
Besides Modi, the Quad summit in Tokyo on May 24 will be attended by Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australian prime minister-elect Anthony Albanese. "In Japan, I will also participate in the second in-person Quad Leaders' Summit, which will provide an opportunity for the leaders of the four Quad countries to review the progress of Quad initiatives," Modi said in his departure statement. "We will also exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest," said Modi, whose visit to Japan is taking place under the shadow of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The Quad or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue comprises India, the US, Japan and Australia. Modi, who is visiting Tokyo at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, will hold separate bilateral meetings with Biden, Kishida and Albanese on the sidelines of the summit. He had hosted Kishida for the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit in March 2022.
