News Highlight
India is holding a series of meetings with its Quad partners this week, including the US, Australia, and Japan, and 2+2 meetings with the US and Japan separately.
Key Takeaway
- Shared concerns over China’s moves in both the Indian Ocean Region and Pacific Island countries, as well as the situation in Sri Lanka, were the topics discussed.
About Quadrilateral Initiative (Quad)
- The QUAD Group is an informal strategic dialogue with four members, namely, India, Japan, Australia, and the US. The shared objective is to ensure and sustain an open, free, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
- It is seen as a maritime democracy.
- Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is credited with coming up with the idea for the QUAD Group in 2007.
- Its roots, however, may be traced back to the 2004 Tsunami, when India, together with Japan, the United States, and Australia, performed relief and rescue operations for themselves and neighbouring countries.
Significance of the QUAD grouping
- Contain assertive China:
- It aims to contain a rising China and its “predatory” economic, strategic, and trade policies.
- Open Indo-pacific:
- The free, open, prosperous, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region serves the long-term interests of all countries in the region and the world at large.
- Upholding rules-based order:
- The Quad upholds the rules-based order by ensuring freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and ensuring free and smooth global trade.
- Maintaining world order:
- The Quad is important as a body to maintain the rules-based order that is based on human rights and mutual respect.
- Supply chains:
- A requirement for a unified approach in supply chains was observed in the wake of a pandemic. A supply chain resilience initiative was undertaken by Quad.
Challenges of QUAD
- China:
- For all Quad members, China is either the first or the second largest trading partner. Hence, containing assertive China is probably a challenge.
- No clarity on objectives:
- India wants to advance the security and economic interests of all countries having legitimate and vital interests in the Asia-Pacific region, whereas the US is pitching for mutating the Indo-Pacific Quad into a more formal security grouping modelled on NATO.
- Individual visions of the Indo-Pacific:
- It would be difficult to align the combined vision of the grouping with that of their individual visions regarding the Indo-Pacific.
Pic Courtesy: The Diplomat
Content Source: The Hindu