The Indian Weekender, 26 March 2021

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Editorial India central to the Indo-Pacific region The importance attached by the US to the Indo-Pacific, places India at an advantageous position, both in defence and economic sectors. While the world was combating the Covid pandemic, international leaders were also busy in realigning the world as per their country’s priorities and goals. One region, which has emerged on the top of this new realignment, is the region of the Indo-Pacific. The Indo-Pacific comprises the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two oceans around parts of Indonesia. The term “Indo-Pacific” gained usage in geopolitical discourse after 2011. It is also described as a substitute for “Quad” or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, an informal grouping of like-minded democracies in the region, comprising Australia, Japan, India, and the United States. Former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expanded on the spirit of the term in his speech to the Indian Parliament in August 2007 when he talked about the “Confluence of the Indian and Pacific Oceans” as “the dynamic coupling as seas of freedom and of prosperity” in the “broader Asia”. American push for the Quad Quad was first floated in 2004 to manage disaster relief after the Tsunami. Later, Dick Cheney tried to redefine it as a military club, to counter Chinese influence, but was abandoned in 2010 as India and Australia didn’t wanted to ruffle the Chinese feathers. The Trump administration revived the regional grouping in 2017, ostensibly to counter China in the region, particularly in the South China Sea, where the Chinese have continually challenged the Japanese and Americans. US under Trump wanted to shape the Quad into an Asian NATO, a point that has been raised and challenged by the Chinese again and again, as they see it as a potential defence deterrent in the region. The importance being attached to this by the original members, and the recent desire expressed by the British and French to join also underlines both its economic and defence utility. Though the Biden administration wants to position it as an American outreach on trade, immigration, public health, climate change, yet its security aspect can’t be overlooked. To give a boost to the alliance, the leaders of the Quad met on March 12, 2021through a virtual summit. The summit and the joint statement issued highlights the evolution of the grouping and its agenda made clearer and resolve by the member states to sustain the momentum. At a White House press conference following the summit, the U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan noted that each of the four leaders present had described the meeting as “historic.” Quad talks were elevated to the ministerial level in 2019 with foreign ministers from all four countries holding a meeting on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly session in New York in September that year. Since then, Quad foreign ministers have met twice: in-person in Tokyo in October last year, and virtually last month. President Biden has zealously endorsed the “free and open Indo-Pacific” jargon favoured by his predecessor, contrary to apprehensions that he would seek to adopt a softer line toward China and that the Indo-Pacific paradigm would not be so significant for the new administration. However, the reality is that the Quad, in essential sense is not a formal alliance, yet. The recent summit concentrated primarily on urgent global catastrophes comprising coronavirus and the climate emergency and tried not to ruffle feathers or cause undue apprehensions in the regional countries, particularly ASEAN member states. A joint statement after the assembly noted that the four nations would collaborate to increase Covid vaccine production, in which India would be helped financially by other members to boost its vaccine production base. But differences remained among the member states on how to handle China. India’s future in the Quad The moot question is whether Quad in essential sense would be transformed into a real regional alliance or will it continue to serve some countries only, to use it as and when required as per their necessity. Though one country, which seems poised to gain most out of Quad is India. Due to its vast market potential and also as a counter to China in the region, most western powers attach great importance to it in the region. Indian leaders also realise this besides the fact that to transform into a regional power it has to pursue a geopolitical strategy, which maximises its economic interests and security. The Indian Prime Minister has spelled out the Indian vision of Indo-Pacific as an enabler for “a common pursuit of progress and prosperity... not directed against any country... (albeit based on) our principled commitment to rule of law.” India’s role at the Quad seems central to the Biden administration’s plans for the region and the quest to counter China. US initiatives so far suggests the Biden administration is serious about its stated intention to counter China through alliances, based on shared values, and that it sees the Quad and India as central to that. At the same time the US seems ready to moderate India’s feeling of insecurity in regard to be part of a binding alliance along with its ambition to emerge as a dominant regional player, while downplaying China. It seems that the US wants to promote bilateral ties by bolstering India at the Quad, and also focussing on more areas of cooperation, which were ignored during the Trump regime. The recent visit of the US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin to India demonstrates both these aspects. With Tony Blinken at the State Department and Jake Sullivan at the National Security Council, as well as Mr Biden himself, the current US administration possesses more experience of dealing with India than any of its predecessors. It also highlights its resolve to make Indo-US relations as central to its plans. With China as a common denominator, the relationship holds more chances of being robust and fruitful for both. And the key role, which the US wants India to play at the Quad, is more apparent now. It may also open the doors for increased bilateral cooperation and sale of more American military hardware to India besides economic benefits. Thought of the week "Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work in hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus." – Alexander Graham Bell 26 March – 01 April 2021 Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thu On-and-off rain and drizzle 22° 14° Partly sunny 24° 13° 25° 14° Indian Weekender : Volume 13 Issue 02 Publisher: Kiwi Media Publishing Limited Content Editor: Sandeep Singh | sandeep@indianweekender.co.nz Chief Reporter: Rizwan Mohammad | rizwan@indianweekender.co.nz Chief Technical Officer: Rohan deSouza | rohan@indianweekender.co.nz Sr Graphics and Layout Designer: Mahesh Kumar | mahesh@indianweekender.co.nz Graphic Designer: Yashmin Chand | design@indianweekender.co.nz Accounts and Admin.: 09-2173623 | accounts@indianweekender.co.nz Media Sales Manager.: Leena Pal: 021 952 216 | leena@indianweekender.co.nz Sales and Distribution: 021 952218 | sales@indianweekender.co.nz Editor at Large: Dev Nadkarni | dev@indianweekender.co.nz Views expressed in the publication are not necessarily of the publisher and the publisher is not responsible for advertisers’ claims as appearing in the publication Views expressed in the articles are solely of the authors and do not in any way represent the views of the team at the Indian Weekender Kiwi Media Publishing Limited - 133A, Level 1, Onehunga Mall, Onehunga, Auckland. Printed at Horton Media, Auckland Parlty sunny Clouds and sun 24° 15° A touch o dafr This week in New Zealand’s history 28 March 1923 Forest and Bird founded 25° 25° Copyright 2020. Kiwi Media Publishing Limited. All Rights Reserved. Sunshine and pactcy clouds 26° 15° A few morning showers 26° 17° The New Zealand Native Bird Protection Society was formed at a meeting in Wellington called by a local conservation advocate, Captain Ernest ‘Val’ Sanderson. 28 March 1955 NZ cricketers skittled for 26 In recent years most test matches between New Zealand and England have been keenly contested. This was not the case in 1955. 28 March 1983 Signing of CER agreement strengthens trans-Tasman trade ties The Australia–New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement, better known as CER, was New Zealand’s first comprehensive bilateral trade agreement, and one of the first such agreements in the world. 29 March 1901 Skippers Bridge opened At 96 m long and 91 m above the river, the Skippers suspension bridge over the Shotover River near Queenstown in Central Otago is one of the highest and most spectacular in New Zealand. 1 April 1773 First beer brewed in New Zealand In an attempt to concoct a preventative against scurvy, Captain James Cook brewed a batch of beer on Resolution Island in Dusky Sound, using rimu branches and leaves. 1 April 1965 TEAL becomes Air New Zealand New Zealand’s international airline, Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL), was renamed Air New Zealand Limited. 1 April 1978 Thermal insulation required in NZ homes Māori houses (whare) were made of natural materials that had good thermal performance (such as raupō reeds) or kept out the wind (such as earth). European-style timber frame construction was less efficient at retaining heat, but it was not until 1978 that the level of thermal insulation required in new houses was specified by law.
The Indian Weekender Friday, March 26, 2021 FIJI 13 We are still pushing for Aust and NZ to open their doors and heart to a travel bubble with Fiji: PM Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says they are still pushing regional neighbours like Australia and New Zealand to open their doors and heart to a travel bubble with Fiji. Bainimarama highlighted this at the Fiji Excellence Awards Annual Presentations at the Sofitel Resort and Spa in Denarau. He says from our blue lanes for yachts, vacation in paradise, VIP lanes to the support towards the Love Your Locals program, we have showed the world that we are willing and able to innovate and adapt to support our vital tourism industry. Bainimarama says Fiji belongs in the quarantine free regional travel arrangement for the Pacific. He also told the business owners that the borders do reopen. government has dramatically dropped taxes Bainimarama says in the next budget they and a subsidy scheme is in place for when the will be looking at other innovative ways that Presentation of credentials by Fiji’s High Commissioner to India they can give businesses the drive to kick start this industry. The Prime Minister has also assured families that are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that the government has their back. He says the government has already directly paid out over $118 million in unemployment benefits and that support has gone mostly to those in the tourism sector and even those who have managed to secure work on the weekends. Bainimarama says this will continue as will their effort to tap into new opportunities and create new paths forward. Bainimarama also paid tribute to the late Dixon Seeto and says he was a dear friend and a tourism heavyweight. He says Seeto played such an outsized leadership role in shaping the tourism industry and reminded him that tourism was the single most important driver of the Fijian economy. Fiji has new border quarantine case from Papua New Guinea A new border quarantine case of COVID-19 has been announced. The Ministry of Health says the new case is a 55 year old man who travelled to Fiji from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, arriving in Nadi on flight FJ1920 from Brisbane on March 12th. He returned a positive test result during routine testing while undergoing 14-day quarantine at a government-supervised border quarantine facility in Nadi. The man has been transferred to the isolation unit at the Lautoka Hospital in accordance with the standard protocols for positive cases. Since the last update on March 17th, there has been 1 new recovery, leaving this new border quarantine case as the 1 active case currently admitted at the Lautoka Hospital isolation unit. It has now been exactly 1 year since Fiji recorded its first case of COVID-19 on March 19th 2020. Since our first case was reported, Fiji has now had 67 cases, with 64 recoveries and 2 deaths. The Health Ministry says the last 49 cases have been international travel-associated cases detected in border quarantine. It has been 335 days since the last case was detected outside border quarantine on April 18th 2020. 34,782 laboratory tests have been conducted, with a daily average of 210 tests per day over the last 7 days, and a weekly average of 1615 tests per week over the last 2 weeks. From left” Fiji’s High Commissioner allocation of COVID-19 vaccines, that would his diplomatic appointment at the Fiji High to India Kamlesh Prakash with support Fiji’s recovery and rebuilding efforts. Commission in India and he reaffirmed India’s Secretary(West) at India’s Ministry of Reflecting on the commitment to further advance the bilateral External Affairs, Shri Vikas Swarup during the virtual presentation of credentials to the historical ties between Fiji and India, Mr "Reflecting on the historical relations with Fiji at all levels. He emphasised that Fiji was also an President of the Republic of India, Shri Ram Prakash said ties between Fiji and important partner for India not only Nath Kovind on Thursday the bilateral India, Mr Prakash said the bilaterally but also in the Indo- Pacific Fiji’s High Commissioner to India, Kamlesh relationship bilateral relationship between region. Shashi Prakash presented his credentials to the between the the two nations was based on the In commending Fiji for its swift President of the Republic of India, Shri Ram two nations shared values and aspirations response to contain COVID-19 Nath Kovind, in a virtual ceremony held on was based on on democracy and the pandemic, President Kovind stated Thursday March 18, 2021. the shared values universal principles of that India was at the forefront of global In presenting his credentials, Mr Prakash and aspirations human rights, peace efforts to contain the pandemic through and security." acknowledged the timely provision of on democracy and assisting several countries with provisions humanitarian assistance to Fiji, from the Government and the people of India, in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclones Yasa and Ana. He also commended India for the timely the universal principles of human rights, peace and security. President Kovind congratulated him for of COVID19 vaccines. Mr Prakash is the sixth resident High Commissioner of the Republic of Fiji to the Republic of India. India to help Fiji with Astrazeneca vaccines The Government of India is in the process of arranging the delivery of a significant number of AstraZeneca vaccines into Fiji. This was revealed by the Acting Indian High Commissioner to Fiji Sukanta Sahoo. Mr Sukanta said the agreement was signed in India on Wednesday and they were awaiting endorsement from the Fijian Government. “These AstraZeneca vaccines were manufactured by the Covashield Branch in India and it had proven to be very effective,” he said. “I am not able to disclose the number of vaccines we are arranging, but I can assure you that it is more than what Fiji had received on its first batch that arrived a few weeks ago. “Once we are able to confirm the shipment date we will announce all other details of the vaccines.” " Early planning and sticking to the plan and the political will in my view and the leadership and vision of the countries and the Governments has really helped Fiji and other Pacific countries succeed and we really need to get that story out to the rest of the world He said the Indian High Commission would be able to release other details while they were finalised by next week. Best kept secret “Fiji and the Pacific’s handling of COVID-19 is one of the best kept secrets that I know of.” United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator, Sanaka Samarasinha said this in an interview at the Radisson Blue Resort Fiji in Nad. Mr Samarasinha said it was an amazing story to tell the rest of the world how Fiji and the other Pacific Island countries worked together to contain the global COVID-19 pandemic. He said although we managed to contain the pandemic, there still was not enough credit given to Fiji and the other Pacific Island nations. “It really is an amazing story in some ways not surprised but I am disappointed that Fiji and the Pacific countries that have managed to contain COVID for so long have not got the credit and people have not learnt their lessons from these countries and look at us, we are able to walk around and not wear masks,” he said. “Of course, the economy is in shambles because of the COVID that has rampaged around the world. "One reason that has been the case The most visited Indian news website in NZ *For online advertising options, email at sales@indianweekender.co.nz is because back in 2019 when there was a measles outbreak in the Pacific, the World Health Organization and the UN agencies got together along with partners, Government and development partners to setup a team to manage and look out for the measles outbreak and that team was reconfigured in January 2020 to prepare for COVID-19 coming into the Pacific. “Early planning and sticking to the plan and the political will in my view and the leadership and vision of the countries and the Governments has really helped Fiji and other Pacific countries succeed and we really need to get that story out to the rest of the world,” Mr Samarasinha said. Meanwhile, Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete and Permanent Secretary for Health Dr James Fong were vaccinated.
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The Indian Weekender, 26 March 2021

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