QUAD

What is QUAD?

QUAD, also known as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or simply the Quad, is a strategic forum comprising four countries: the United States, Japan, India, and Australia. 

• The Quad is aimed at promoting regional security and economic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. 
• The four countries share a common interest in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, promoting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, and countering China's expanding influence in the region. 
• The Quad has held several meetings at the ministerial and leaders' level to discuss issues such as maritime security, infrastructure development, and supply chain resilience. 
• The Quad is seen as a mechanism for balancing China's influence in the region, although its members have stressed that it is not a military alliance and is open to other countries who share their values and interests.

 

What is the genesis and evolution of QUAD?

• 2007: The Quad was initially formed in 2007 during an informal meeting of leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It was Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who first proposed the idea of creating the Quad.
• 2012: The Japanese Prime Minister highlighted the concept of the 'Democratic Security Diamond' in Asia, which includes the US, Japan, India, and Australia.
• 2017: Once again confronted with the growing danger posed by China, the four nations revitalized the Quad by expanding its goals and devising a system that aimed to gradually establish an international order based on rules.
  • India, Japan, USA, and Australia held the first 'Quad' talks in Manila ahead of the ASEAN Summit 2017.
• 2020: The trilateral India-US-Japan Malabar naval exercises expanded to include Australia, marking the first official grouping of the Quad since its resurgence in 2017 and the first joint military exercises among the four countries in over a decade.
• 2021: The Quad leaders met virtually and later released a joint statement titled ‘The Spirit of the Quad’.

 

How does the QUAD function?

• The Quad is a loose grouping rather than a formal alliance. It does not have a decision-making body or a secretariat, or a formal structure like NATO or the United Nations.
• The alliance is maintained through summits, meetings, information exchanges, and military drills.
• The Quadrilateral met five times in 2017–2019. During the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi in 2018, the navy chiefs of Japan, US, Australia, and India came together, one of the first indications of the revival of the Quad's security structure.
• Since March 2021, member states of the Quad and their leaders have hosted regular “Leaders Summits”, which have been both online and in-person.
• In the month of March 2021, the Quad leaders met virtually for the first time. In September 2021, the first in-person meeting of Quad leaders was held. A similar summit of Quad leaders is being hosted by Japan.

 

What are the important prospects of the QUAD grouping?

The QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) grouping, which comprises Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, has several important prospects, including

• Strengthening regional security: The QUAD aims to enhance security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region by promoting a rules-based order, freedom of navigation, and respect for international law.
• Countering China's rise: The QUAD is seen as a response to China's growing assertiveness in the region. The member countries seek to balance China's rise and prevent it from altering the status quo in the region.
• Promoting economic cooperation: The member countries are major economies in the region and seek to promote economic cooperation. In May 2022, Quad countries decided to allocate $50 Billion for infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Building maritime security capacity: The member countries have been conducting joint naval exercises and maritime patrols to enhance their maritime security capacity and interoperability.
• Strengthening people-to-people ties: The QUAD aims to promote people-to-people ties through academic and cultural exchanges and enhance disaster relief and humanitarian assistance capabilities. Example: 
• Cooperation in debt management: Resolving debt issues under the G20 Common Framework through the 'Quad Debt Management Resource Portal’.

 

What is the significance of QUAD for India?

The significance of QUAD for India can be analyzed through

• Strategic importance: It is a platform to discuss and address the common challenges faced by the Indo-Pacific region, such as the rise of China and its increasing assertiveness in the region through ‘String of pearls’ theory.
• Economic significance: The member countries have launched several initiatives like the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor, the Blue Dot Network, and the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative to promote economic development in the region. India is mostly at the receiving end of investments by QUAD countries.
• Maritime security: QUAD is useful for Indian maritime security by conducting joint naval exercises and coordinating on issues like freedom of navigation, piracy, and illegal fishing.
• Regional stability: QUAD is significant for India in promoting regional stability in the Indo-Pacific region. It is based on the principles of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific and aims to promote a rules-based international order.
• Post-COVID diplomacy: Due to disruptions in the supply chain during the pandemic, Japan and the US want to shift their manufacturing companies out of China in order to curb their imperialistic behaviour, which could be capitalized on by India as well.

 

What are the outcomes of QUAD?

• Mixed Global response:
  • Russian response: Russian foreign minister calls it "Asian NATO". Russia had sharply criticized the Quad as part of a US-led ‘persistent, aggressive and devious’ policy.
  • Chinese response: China has decried the grouping as an “Indo-Pacific NATO” accusing it of “trumpeting the Cold War mentality” and “stoking geopolitical rivalry.”
  • Western countries: They reaffirm the Quad’s commitment to supporting Indo-Pacific countries’ efforts to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific – a region which is inclusive and resilient, and in which states strive to protect the interests of their people, free from coercion.
• Quad Initiatives: 
  • QUAD fellowship: for pursuing a doctorate in STEM courses.
  • Quad Vaccine Partnership: to boost vaccine partnership.
  • Covid-19 Global Action Plan to enhance coordination in recovery efforts during the Covid pandemic.
  • Quad Vaccine Experts Group: for cooperation in vaccine strategy.
  • Quad Senior Cyber Group: for adoption and implementation of shared cyber standards.
  • Cooperation in the space sector: Sharing satellite data.
  • Quad Climate Working group: for adaptation to climate change and to build capacity in other Indo-Pacific.
  • Critical and emerging technologies: cooperation in critical technologies essential for digital economies globally.
  • The Quad members in the 2022 summit decided to counter non-traditional security challenges, such as illegal fishing.

 

What are the limitations and challenges of QUAD grouping?

Here are some limitations and challenges of the QUAD grouping with subheadings:

• Lacks definitive structure: The QUAD grouping lacks a formal structure with a secretariat or any permanent decision-making body. 
• Difficulty in addressing China's concerns: The QUAD grouping is viewed with suspicion by China, which sees it as an attempt to contain its rise. This makes it challenging for the group to engage with China in a constructive manner, which may cause tension between the member countries.
• Imbalanced cooperation: The members do not have the same levels of financial resources, strategic awareness, and military capabilities in the Indian Ocean. This creates an imbalance in cooperation, which might create problems in the future.
• Limited military capabilities: The QUAD members have varying levels of military capabilities, with the US being the most powerful and Australia being the least. This could limit the group's ability to take action if needed.
• Domestic politics: Domestic political considerations could limit the ability to cooperate with one another. For example, India's domestic politics could make it difficult for the country to align itself too closely with the US.
• Geopolitical challenges: The challenges such as territorial disputes, regional tensions, and non-traditional security threats, will require a coordinated and sustained effort from the QUAD members, which may be difficult.
• Lack of coherent actions: The QUAD grouping has not taken any concrete action to address the issues in the Indo-Pacific region. The lack of coherent actions can undermine the group's credibility and effectiveness in addressing regional challenges.

 

What can be the future prospects of QUAD?

• Strengthening commitment and engagement: Holding regular meetings of leaders, officials, and working groups, Expanding engagement with other countries in the region.
• Communicating clear intentions: Communicating clear intentions that the grouping is not directed against any particular country, Emphasizing the shared interests and benefits for all countries in the region.
• Delivering concrete outcomes: Developing joint infrastructure projects to promote regional economic integration, Addressing common challenges such as climate change or maritime security, and Promoting connectivity and digital cooperation.
• Building a consultative mechanism: Building a consultative mechanism with ASEAN and other regional organizations to promote coordination and cooperation, Sharing information and intelligence on shared challenges and threats.
• Strengthening military and strategic cooperation: Expanding cooperation in the areas of cybersecurity, space, and emerging technologies, Developing joint capabilities and defense interoperability, Strengthening military-to-military cooperation and information sharing.
• QUAD Plus: In 2020, the intent for the Plus format was strengthened when the United States hosted a meeting of Quad nations, which also included Brazil, Israel, and South Korea, to discuss a global response to COVID-19.