The Wire Staff 
New Delhi: A planned summit of leaders of the four Quad countries – India, the United States, Japan and Australia – in Sydney next week has been cancelled after US President Joe Biden said he will not be attending.
According to CNN, Biden was to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Kushida Fumio on May 24.
In a statement on Tuesday (May 16), the White House said that Biden was cancelling his visits to both Australia and Papa New Guinea because of the ongoing debt ceiling negotiations in Washington. “The President has made clear that members of Congress from both parties and chambers must come together to prevent default, as they have 78 times before. The President and his team will continue to work with Congressional leadership to deliver a budget agreement that can reach the President’s desk,” the statement said.
Only a little while before the White House statement, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs had released a statement that Modi would be travelling to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia in the coming few days. The ministry has not yet responded to the news on the Quad Summit being cancelled.
Albanese has reportedly now suggested that the leaders of India, Japan and Australia could meet in Japan, as that would be easier.
At the same time, Albanese also said that Modi will still be visiting Australia on a bilateral visit. “Prime Minister Modi has a bilateral program that is organised so I’m certain that he will be here. And, of course, we have a very large growing diaspora here in Australia and there are events including a large event at Kudos Arena to be held next Tuesday night,” Albanese said.
The Australian prime minister was referring to plans for a large Indian diaspora event scheduled during Modi’s trip to Sydney.
While Albanese appears confident that Modi will keep his Australia plans, there has been no official word from the MEA till now.