The Quad member countries India, the US, Japan and Australia on Saturday announced a slew of new initiatives on maritime security including the first-ever interoperability exercise among their coast guards.
In a document titled the Wellington Declaration issued after their fourth in-person summit in President Joe Biden's hometown Wellington in Delaware state, they also expressed concern "over recent dangerous and aggressive actions in the maritime domain", a reference to ongoing Chinese aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea.
The newly announced cooperation between the coast guards will be marked by the first-ever Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission in 2025 to "improve interoperability and advance maritime safety, and continuing with further missions in future years across the Indo-Pacific".
The leaders of the four nations also announced the launch of a new regional Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI), "to enable our partners in the region to maximize tools provided through IPMDA and other Quad partner initiatives, to monitor and secure their waters, enforce their laws, and deter unlawful behaviour". India will host the inaugural MAITRI workshop in 2025.
They also launched a Quad maritime legal dialogue to "support efforts to uphold the rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific. In addition, Quad partners intend to layer new technology and data into IPMDA over the coming year, to continue to deliver cutting-edge capability and information to the region".
Yet another new initiative on maritime security was a Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network pilot project, to "pursue shared airlift capacity among our nations and leverage our collective logistics strengths, in order to support civilian response to natural disasters more rapidly and efficiently across the Indo-Pacific region".
The four leaders also committed their governments to the Quad Cancer Moonshot that will initially target cervical cancer. India will provide testing kits worth $7.5 million and technical assistance. Other countries announced their own contributions.
Cancer cure has been a personal ambition of US President Joe Biden who lost his eldest son to brain cancer. He led a White House initiative called the Cancer Moonshot programme as Vice President to President Barack Obama and as President himself.
The leaders also cleared the expansion of ongoing initiatives on infrastructure, emerging technologies, climate and clean energy, cyber, space and people-to-people engagements.
Sushanta demanded Centre to start direct flight service along Agartala-Mumbai route
The state transport minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Monday met the Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu in Delhi and discussed a series of issues related to the development of air services from Agartala MBB Airport.
CM Dr Manik Saha discuses development railway services and infrastructure in Tripura
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Monday met the General Manager (Construction) of North East Frontier Railway here in his chamber at the secretariat and discussed a series of issues related to the further development of railway infrastructure in the state and ease passenger movement.
State to get Rs 150 Crore for Tourism, Sushanta Meets Union Minister Shekhawat
The Central Government has sanctioned an additional ₹150 crore for the enhancement of Tripura's tourism sector, Tripura Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury announced on Monday.
CM to inaugurate 34 projects of Rs 250 Crore tomorrow
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of various projects worth Rs 250 crore, comprising 34 projects, in Unakoti district tomorrow.
JP Nadda, BL Santosh arriving in state on March 9: CM Manik Saha
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today announced that BJP All India National President JP Nadda and National General Secretary (Org) B.L. Santosh will be arriving on March 9 to attend the two-year celebration of the present state government at Swami Vivekananda Maidan.
Two Bihar women held with cannabis at Agartala Railway Station
Acting on a tip-off, the Government Railway Police recovered 21 kg 65 grams of dried cannabis from two women at Agartala railway station. The estimated market value of the seized contraband is said to be over three lakh rupees.
UK PM announces new 1.6-billion-pound deal for Ukraine to buy missiles
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that Britain will allow Ukraine to use 1.6 billion pounds ($2 billion) of British export finance to purchase more than 5,000 air defence missiles.
'PM Modi working for welfare of all communities without discrimination', says Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah Committee chief
Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah Committee Chairman Syed Afsar Ali Nizami on Sunday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for attending the Sufi music festival 'Jahan-e-Khusro' and said that he gave the message of brotherhood and works for the welfare of all communities and religion without any discrimination.