Quad leaders to unveil ambitious initiative to combat cancer

Top Quad leaders will unveil a "milestone" initiative on Saturday to prevent, detect, treat and alleviate the impact of cancer on patients and their families, when they gather in Wilmington in the US for their annual summit. Being hosted by US President Joe Biden, the "Quad Leaders Summit" will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese and Japan's Fumio Kishida.

The leaders are expected to deliberate on pressing global challenges, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, escalating tensions in West Asia and the overall situation in the Indo-Pacific.

At a media briefing on Modi's visit to the United States from September 21-23, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the "signature" "Cancer Moonshot" event will take place on the sidelines of the Quad summit in Wilmington, Delaware.


"One of the signature initiatives to be unveiled on the sidelines is the Cancer Moonshot event," he said.

"Through this milestone initiative, the Quad aims to implement innovative strategies to prevent, detect, treat and alleviate the impact of cancer on patients and their families, and to begin with, we intend to collaborate in reducing the burden of cervical cancer in the Indo-pacific region," Misri said.

It is learnt that the broad framework of the initiative will be made public after its launch.

The foreign secretary said the Quad summit will have a "very full and substantive" agenda and a leaders' declaration will be unveiled at the end of the deliberations.

"The Quad's constructive agenda continues to develop. We continue to work on development priorities in the Indo-Pacific in implementing sustainable development goals, delivering public goods, and with a strong focus on peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region," he said.

"Our agenda covers health security, climate change, critical and emerging technologies, connectivity and maritime security and counter-terrorism," Misri said.

"And therefore, the upcoming visit offers the Quad leaders the opportunity to review the progress achieved in the last one year and set the agenda for next year," he said.

It was India's turn to host the Quad summit this year. But following a request from Washington, India agreed to host the summit next year.

"This is also going to be a kind of a farewell event insofar as Quad is concerned for President Biden and Prime Minister Kishida of Japan," Misri said.

The Quad event provides Modi with an opportunity to thank both leaders for their leadership in giving momentum and salience to the Quad partnership, he added.

On the sidelines of the Quad summit, the prime minister will hold separate bilateral talks with Biden, Kishida and Albanese.

Modi will address the "Summit of the Future" at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 23. He will also address an Indian community event in Long Island, New York on September 22.

The major focus of Modi's visit to the US is expected to be on the Quad summit and his address at the "Summit of the Future".

Quad saw a natural evolution and elevation in 2021 to the level of the leaders' summit. The first Quad leaders' summit took place in the virtual format on March 12, 2021.

The second summit (first in-person) was held on September 24, 2021 in Washington DC.

At the summit, the leaders announced three new working groups on infrastructure, space and cyber issues.

The third Quad leaders' summit was held virtually on March 3, 2022 to discuss the situation in Ukraine and its impact on the Indo-Pacific.

The fourth summit (second in-person) was hosted by Japan on May 24, 2022.

The leaders launched the Quad Satellite Data Portal to provide regional countries with space-based data for climate and disaster forecasting and sustainable use of marine resources.

The fifth Quad summit (third in-person) was held in Hiroshima, Japan on May 20 last year.

In addition to a joint statement, the Quad leaders' vision statement -- "Enduring Partners for the Indo-Pacific" -- was unveiled at the summit, outlining the vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.