External affairs minister S Jaishankar to visit Japan during October 6-7 for Quad meeting

India's External Affairs minister S Jaishankar will visit Tokyo next week from October 6 to 7 for Quad Foreign ministers meet. Quad is a grouping of four countries--India, Japan, Australia and United States. 

Foreign ministers of all 4 Quad countries--US Secretary of state Mike Pompeo, Indian External Affairs minister S Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will be present for the face to face meeting, a first amid the pandemic.

Ministry of external affairs in a release said," Foreign Ministers shall discuss the post-Covid 19 international order and the need for a coordinated response to the various challenges emerging from the pandemic"

The four ministers will also "discuss regional issues and collectively affirm the importance of maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.", the release added.

This is the 2nd such Quad FMs meet. Last year, all FMs of Quad countries met on the sidelines of United Nations General assembly.

This will be first such major diplomatic engagement of the new Japanese Prime minister Yoshihide Suga.

The grouping, whose focus is on "free and open" Indo Pacific is viewed suspiciously by China.