Leaders of the Australia-India-Japan-U.S. Quad may not be able to meet for a summit in India before the U.S. elections take place, American Ambassador Eric Garcetti said, stressing that the Quad agenda would be “more productive” by the end of 2024. Mr. Garcetti, who was speaking at a discussion with envoys from Australia and Japan, and former officials, at the Jaipur Literature Festival over the weekend, indicated that the election schedules and campaign requirements would make it difficult for U.S. President Joseph Biden to travel to Delhi. Mr. Biden had earlier declined an invitation to attend the Republic Day parade followed by the Quad summit, with the dates proposed by New Delhi for January 26-27.
“Absolutely. It will take place right after the elections,” Mr. Garcetti said in response to a question from The Hindu during the discussion, clarifying that he meant the U.S. elections, to be held on November 5, 2024. “As exciting as 2023 was for bilateral relations, with PM Modi’s state visit, President Biden’s visit to India for the G-20 summit, India being the number one destination for U.S. Cabinet members, and Treasury Secretary Yellen visiting the country four times, we need time to put the agenda back together…. This will make the end of the year have more productive outcomes,” the American envoy said.
Mr. Garcetti said that there would be some Quadrilateral discussions on technology later this month on the sidelines of the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) meetings. U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is expected to lead a delegation to Delhi for talks with the National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval for the iCET inter-sessional meetings, and to address the annual Raisina Conference organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Observer Research Foundation on February 21-23.
