Quad issues principles for critical tech, clean energy in Indo-Pacific

Quad leaders announced 'Principles on Critical and Emerging Technology Standards' to promote interoperability, innovation, compatibility, inclusiveness, free and fair market competition

Leaders from Quad countries on Saturday met for their third in-person summit in Japan's Hiroshima on the sidelines of the G7 summit.

The strategic forum that comprises India, USA, Japan and Australia issued joint 'Principles for Secure Software, Principles for Critical and Emerging Technology Standards and Principles for Clean Energy Supply Chains' in the Indo-Pacific to bring lasting benefits from better options that build resilience, facilitate open communication and boost economic growth, the Economic Times (ET) reported.

The Quad leaders announced the Principles on Critical and Emerging Technology Standards to promote interoperability, innovation, trust, transparency, diverse markets, security-by-design, compatibility, inclusiveness and free and fair market competition, the ET report said.

By implementing these principles, the Quad countries aim to support industry-led, consensus-based multi-stakeholder approaches to the development of technology standards.

The principles further emphasised the importance of adapting procedures that ensure trust, transparency, openness, impartiality and consensus.

Quoting the Quad Joint Principles for Secure Software, the ET report said that the partner countries recognise the potential security risks from the lack of adequate controls to prevent tampering with the software supply chain by adversarial and non-adversarial threats. Through these principles, the Quad group hopes to promote a culture of software security.

The Quad statement also outlined certain principles to create deterrence for this purpose.

The Quad group also issued Principles on Clean Energy Supply Chains in the Indo-Pacific to expand manufacturing of clean energy technologies and simultaneously increase demand and enable commercial-scale production capabilities for critical devices, components, and systems.

The leaders from Quad countries also announced a collaboration to turn the existing Quad Vaccine Partnership into a broader Quad Health Security Partnership. Through this partnership, the Quad nations aim to strengthen coordination and collaboration to promote health security in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Quad leaders also called for joint action against terrorism in the Indo-Pacific region while raising concerns about the increasing militarisation in the area.

Describing the Indo-Pacific as an engine for global trade, innovation and development, PM Narendra Modi said that the region's success and security are important for the entire world.

India will be hosting the Quad Summit in 2024. Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad is an informal strategic forum between the four countries from the Indo-Pacific region to work towards a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.