The first ever summit meeting of the Quad leadership on Friday announced a “Vaccine Initiative” that will pool the individual capacities of the four member countries to expedite global vaccine delivery in an unstated but apparent bid to counter China’s vaccine diplomacy.

Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “We are united by our democratic values... Our agenda today — covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies — makes the Quad a force for global good... Today’s summit meeting shows that Quad has come of age. It will now remain an important pillar of stability in the region.”

Describing the Quad summit as the launch of a joint partnership that is going to boost vaccine manufacturing for global benefit, US President Joe Biden said: “We are renewing our commitment to ensure that our region is governed by international law committed to all the international values and free from coercion... Quad is going to be a vital arena for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.”

Briefing the media after the meeting initiated by Biden was wrapped up with the first joint statement after a Quad meeting, foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the Vaccine Initiative entailed a vaccine developed in the US to be manufactured in India with the financial support of Japan and the US. The fourth member country, Australia, will chip in with the last-mile operation and delivery. It will help recipient countries, especially in South East Asia, to administer the vaccines and develop cold chain facilities.

While the Vaccine Initiative is the first major deliverable of the Quad, the four leaders, according to Shringla, will also focus on addressing climate change.

Asked if the situation along the Line of Actual Control between India and China was discussed during the virtual meeting, Shringla did not respond.

India is seeing the Vaccine Initiative as a great opportunity as it would see additional capacity being added to manufacturing with the US and Japanese funding. Also, according to Shringla, it is a recognition of India’s manufacturing capacity in vaccines.

China, according to its foreign ministry, has 17 vaccines in clinical trials. China has donated or is donating Covid vaccines to 69 countries and exporting to 43 countries.

India has sent the two vaccines manufactured in the country to around 70 countries as part of its Vaccine Maitri project.