Quad, or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is a strategic forum between India, Australia, the US, and Japan. It was first proposed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007. However, due to Chinese pressure, Australia withdrew and the plan stalled. It was not until 2017 that Quad was finally established, with the four democratic nations finding common ground in supporting unhindered maritime trade and security. The main objective of Quad is to ensure a “free, open and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region.
Quad’s Recent Discussions on Security and Intelligence
In the recent foreign ministers’ meeting, held in Melbourne, Australia, several key security matters were discussed. For the first time, the group called for justice for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and the Pathankot airbase attack. They also advocated for countries to ensure their territories weren’t used to launch terror attacks. A subtle reference was made to China’s actions in the South and East China seas, with a reaffirmed commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, without coercion.
Quad’s Vaccine Initiative
The Quad members have renewed their dedication to their vaccine initiative. The goal of the initiative is to distribute at least one billion vaccines, produced in India, to Indo-Pacific countries by the end of 2022. In addition, they’ve promised to donate 1.3 billion vaccine doses globally. This vaccine partnership plan was announced in March 2021.
Quad’s Position on the Myanmar Crisis
Quad expressed grave concern over the current crisis in Myanmar and called for an immediate end to violence and arbitrary detentions. They reaffirmed their support for ASEAN efforts to restore democracy in Myanmar and urged the military regime to implement ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus. Quad encouraged the international community to work together to support an end to the violence.
Emerging Technologies and Quad
During the 2021 Quad Summit, several new areas of cooperation were identified, including climate change, infrastructure, Humanitarian-Assistance and Disaster-Relief (HADR), maritime domain awareness, and emerging technologies. Quad is now actively pursuing work on 5G technology and vendor diversification to maintain a diverse, open and interoperable telecommunication ecosystem in collaboration with other like-minded partners.
India’s Role and Stance in Quad
In the recent meeting, India showed willingness to supply safe and affordable vaccines produced in India, such as COVOVAX and CORBEVAX, under the Quad vaccine partnership. The nation is also dedicated to building an agenda that aligns with its vision for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. India, along with Australia, has committed to improving supply chains and promoting growth and security in the Indo-Pacific. As democratic nations, both India and Australia have pledged to uphold international law and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states.
On the issue of Myanmar, India drew attention to the challenges posed by insurgencies along the Indo-Myanmar border. While India maintained diplomatic silence on Russia’s threat to invade Ukraine, it voiced opposition to “national sanctions,” in reference to the US-imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s military leaders.
