News Highlight
Foreign Ministers of the Quad group of countries met on the fringes of the UNGA to sign a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) partnership.
Key Takeaway,
- The External Affairs Minister, said the world was going through a difficult period and said that it was especially important for the Quad to further the “Constructive agenda” it had set up for itself and worked together to deliver public goods.
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).
- The “Quad Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) in the Indo-Pacific”
- This partnership was announced by Quad Leaders in Tokyo in 2022 as part of a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient.
- The Partnership has been designed to respond to the vulnerabilities of the Indo-Pacific region and will serve as a dedicated framework for Quad partners to coordinate their disaster response operations in the region.
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
- 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.
- Contain assertive China:
- It aims to contain a rising China and its “predatory” economic, strategic, and trade policies.
- 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
- 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.
- Economic Interdependence:
- Quad nations like Japan and Australia have sound economic dependence on China and hence cannot afford to have strained relations with it.
Way forward
- Formalisation:
- The QUAD must formulate dialogue processes and also fix summit- level talks annually.
- Inclusivity:
- Many other collaborative partner nations should be included at least as observers in the talks.
- Vision Statement:
- A more holistic vision document must be issued each year before a summit highlighting the agenda.
- Diversify Agenda:
- The agenda to Open Indo-pacific and counter China may not be sufficient in the long run, the platform must also address regional and global issues of terrorism, climate change and defence technology transfers.
- Space Technology:
- India, US and Japan already have the world’s best space agencies; thus space collaboration can be an effective engagement for the QUAD.
Content Source: The Hindu