From being the first speaker at the 76th United Nations (UN) General Assembly to holding meetings with CEOs of big companies, and scheduled bilateral discussions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-day US visit is jam-packed.

However, this visit also comes in the backdrop of an array of geopolitical developments – from the fallout in Afghanistan to the recent strategic alignments between the US and Australia and uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pertinent to this visit will be the first in-person leaders' meeting of the Quad – an alliance between India, US, Australia, and Japan – on 24 September.

The group, which has only met sporadically since it was formed in 2007, is officially committed to a shared vision “for an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, resilient and inclusive” by strengthening its relations on supply chain, communications, technology and climate chance projects.

However, its recent revival in 2017 and again in 2021 is seen to be largely due to the growing assertion of China in the Indo-Pacific region and all four countries have their respective motivations to dilute China’s military presence in the region.

And now, given the geopolitical flux in the region with the fallout in Afghanistan and India’s sour relations with China post Galwan Valley clashes, what is expected out of the Quad summit? And what role can India play in it?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram

Guest: Akshobh Giridharadas, a US based journalist and Manoj Joshi, a distinguished fellow at the Observer Research Foundation.

Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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