No Change In PM Modi's Travel Plans While Biden Calls Off Trips To Australia, Papua New Guinea

PM Narendra Modi will embark on a three-leg visit to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia even as US President Joe Biden called off the scheduled Quad Summit that was to be held on May 22-23.

PM Modi will be embarking on the three-leg visit to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia on May 19

Source : Getty

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visits to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia will remain unchanged even as US President Joe Biden cancelled his visits to the Pacific island nation and Canberra owing to a looming debt crisis in America.  

Although the Quad Summit may get rescheduled, PM Modi will continue with his visit to Canberra as he plans to hold a bilateral meeting with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, official sources told ABPLive. 

Modi will be embarking on the three-leg visit to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia on May 19. He will travel to Japan first where he will address the Summit meeting of Group of Seven, or G-7.

“The Quad Leaders’ Summit in Sydney has been rescheduled. Prime Minister’s engagements in Australia, other than this event, remain unchanged,” a senior official said on condition of anonymity.

Modi and Albanese last held a bilateral meeting in March this year in Delhi when the Australian PM arrived on his maiden state visit to India since coming to power in Canberra.

During the bilateral meeting this time, PM Modi is expected to raise the issue of Khalistan threat and temple vandalisation in Australia which has become a concern for New Delhi.

Both sides are also expected to discuss the sticking points in the negotiations over the India-Australia free trade agreement or the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).  

PM Modi To Address G-7 Meet

Although India is not a member of the G-7, Modi has been invited to speak at the meet by Japanese PM Kishida Fumio. Japan is currently the G-7 chair. In a major signal to China, PM Modi is expected to speak on peace, stability, prosperity, food and energy security at G-7, which is taking place in Hiroshima, Japan.

As all the leaders of the Quad are expected to be there in Hiroshima, it is likely that an “informal” Quad summit may take place on the margins of the G-7, said another source.

The source said issues concerning India’s presidency of the G-20 would also be discussed amongst leaders when they meet in Japan, with a particular reference to the Russia-Ukraine war. Some European countries, the US and Japan want India to let Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speak at the G-20 Summit, albeit virtually.

Visit To Papua New Guinea ‘Not Linked’ To Biden’s Trip

According to the sources, PM Modi’s visit to Papua New Guinea was “not linked” to President Biden’s visit to that country and hence that trip too will continue as planned.

During the visit to Port Moresby, Modi will be holding the 3rd Summit of the Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC III Summit) jointly with PM of Papua New Guinea James Marape on 22 May.

This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Papua New Guinea and it assumes critical significance considering the fact that the island nation is increasingly tilting towards China.

Last year, PM Marape held a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bangkok and they vowed to expand their bilateral relationship.

“President Xi pointed out that China and PNG, as good friends, good partners and good brothers, have set a fine example of solidarity, collaboration and win-win cooperation between developing countries,” said an official Chinese statement issued after the meeting.

Biden’s historic visit to that country, which now stands cancelled, invited speculations that Washington was planning to sign some strategic agreements there.

Modi and Biden, on the other hand, are expected to meet again in June as the US President is hosting the PM for a state visit on 22 June.