‘Will revitalise QUAD initiative’

NEWDELHI: The United States was working productively with Pakistan to counter terrorism on its soil, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday as he addressed a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The two leaders spoke after one-on-one talks at Hyderabad House on wide range of issues.

“In our discussions, Prime Minister Modi and I affirmed the two countries’ commitment to protecting our citizens from radical Islamic terrorism. The United

States is also working productively with Pakistan to confront terrorists who operate on its soil,” said Trump.

“Together, the Prime Minister and I are revitalising the QUAD initiative — with the US, India, Australia and Japan. Since I took office, we have held the first QUAD ministerial meeting, and expanded cooperation on counter-terrorism, cyber security and maritime security to ensure a free and open Indo-pacific,” the US President added.

India, Australia, Japan and the US revived the QUAD in November 2017 as part of efforts to keep key sea routes in the Indo-pacific free of any influence.

First mentioned during a speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s to university students in Kazakhstan in 2013, China’s Belt and Road plan is a vehicle for the Asian country to take a greater role on the international stage by funding and building global transport and trade links in more than 60 countries.

The US and the other three countries had come together to provide humanitarian assistance after the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had then suggested that they form the QUAD, which met three years later.