U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed in a telephone call to strengthen Indo-Pacific security through the "Quad" grouping of countries that is seen as a way to push back against China's growing assertiveness in the region.
India, United States, Japan and Australia are members of the Quad, an informal group that Washington has been promoting to work as a potential bulwark against China's increasing political, commercial and military activity in the Indo-Pacific, diplomats say.
Biden spoke to Modi on Monday night in his first call since taking office last month and noted that India-U.S. ties were held together by a shared commitment to democratic values.