India, serving as the Quad President for 2025, is hosting the “Quad Workshop on Pandemic Preparedness for the Indo-Pacific Region,” from March 17-19, 2025.

Later this year, India will also host the Quad Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, where high-profile dignitaries, including former U.S. President Donald Trump, are expected to attend.

The workshop stems from commitments made during the 6th Quad Leaders’ Summit in September 2024. It brings together senior health officials and technical experts from the Quad nations including India, United States, Japan, and Australia. Additionally, over 25 delegates from 15 Indo-Pacific nations, including Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Kenya, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives, Mozambique, Palau, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, and Tuvalu, as well as representatives from international health organizations, are participating.

India’s Minister of State for Health, Anupriya Patel, inaugurated the workshop, with key insights shared by Principal Scientific Advisor Ajay Kumar Sood, Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, Additional Secretary (MOH&FW) V. Hekali Zhimomi, and Additional Secretary (Americas) at the Ministry of External Affairs, Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur.

A Foreign Ministry statement noted that “Participating countries will share their pandemic preparedness experiences, focusing on governance, surveillance, and innovation. Panel discussions will focus on strengthening global health frameworks, enhancing preparedness and resilience, ensuring coordinated pandemic responses, and implementing the One Health approach.”

According to the statement, delegates will also engage in discussions on risk communication, community engagement, disease surveillance, and capacity building. Additionally, group exercises and simulations on pandemic scenarios – including Avian Influenza, Mpox, and Ebola – will help refine response strategies and promote cross-border coordination.

The workshop also offers participants a unique opportunity to explore India’s public health infrastructure, surveillance systems, and emergency response capabilities. A field visit to India’s National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the National Centre for Vector-Borne Disease Control is also planned.

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