Why this ?
The 6th Quad Summit was recently held in Delaware, USA, marking another pivotal moment in global geopolitics, especially in the Indo-Pacific. We’ve compiled the key announcements from this year’s summit and then explored why the Quad is significant, the challenges it faces, and some real-world examples that illustrate these points. Since the Quad is an example of minilateral diplomacy, we’ve also taken a closer look at the rise of minilateralism and its growing impact on the global stage.
GS 1
Geography: Indo-Pacific Region
Note4Students: Understand the geopolitical significance of the Indo-Pacific in global power dynamics and India’s strategic role through the Quad partnership.
Microtheme : Natural resources potential
GS 2
International Relations: India and Quad
Note4Students: Explore how India’s Quad partnerships strengthen ties with global powers, addressing regional security and infrastructure challenges.
Microtheme : Geo-politics affecting India’s Interest
GS 3
Economic Development, Security: Technology and Infrastructure
Note4Students: Examine Quad’s role in strengthening cybersecurity, infrastructure development, and supply chain diversification in the Indo-Pacific.
Microtheme : Cyber Security
GS 4
Ethics: International Cooperation
Note4Students: Analyze ethical considerations in India’s foreign policy decisions, focusing on transparency and strategic autonomy in Quad collaborations.
Microtheme : Applied Ethics
Announcements at QUAD 2024
| Announcement | Description |
| Quad Cancer Moonshot | A groundbreaking partnership to save lives in the Indo-Pacific region by combating cervical cancer. |
| Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI) | Enabling Indo-Pacific partners to maximize tools provided through IPMDA and other Quad initiatives. |
| First-ever Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission (2025) | Improving interoperability and advancing maritime safety through the inaugural Quad-at-Sea mission in 2025. |
| Quad Ports of the Future Partnership | Harnessing the Quad’s collective expertise to support sustainable and resilient port infrastructure development across the Indo-Pacific. |
| Quad Principles for Development and Deployment of Digital Public Infrastructure | Establishing principles for the development and deployment of digital public infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. |
| Semiconductor Supply Chains Contingency Network Memorandum of Cooperation | Enhancing the resilience of the Quad’s semiconductor supply chains through a memorandum of cooperation. |
| Collective Quad Effort on Energy Efficiency | A collective Quad initiative to boost energy efficiency, including the deployment and manufacturing of high-efficiency affordable cooling systems in the Indo-Pacific. |
| India’s Space-based Web Portal for Mauritius | India’s establishment of a space-based web portal for Mauritius, supporting open science for monitoring extreme weather events and climate impacts. |
| Quad STEM Fellowship Sub-category | A new sub-category under the Quad STEM Fellowship, announced by India, for Indo-Pacific students to pursue a 4-year bachelor’s level engineering programme. |
About Quad
| Category | Details |
| About | Quad, or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is a diplomatic partnership among Australia, India, Japan, and the US, focused on promoting stability, prosperity, and an open, resilient Indo-Pacific environment. |
| Objectives of Quad | Addresses regional challenges such as health security, climate change, infrastructure, technology, cybersecurity, humanitarian assistance, maritime security, disinformation, and counter-terrorism. |
| Origins of Quad | Originated in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, providing humanitarian assistance. Formally established in 2007 by Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. Dormant after Australia withdrew in 2008, revived in 2017. |
| Expansion Potential | “Quad-plus” meetings with South Korea, New Zealand, and Vietnam suggest potential for future expansion. |
STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE FOR INDIA
| Significance | Details | Examples |
| Strategic Counterbalance to China | The QUAD provides India a platform to counterbalance China’s assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. This is vital due to border tensions, such as the 2020-2021 Galwan Valley clashes. | 2023 Malabar exercises in Australia focused on anti-submarine warfare. |
| Economic and Technological Cooperation | QUAD gives India access to advanced technologies and economic partnerships. | The Quad Critical & Emerging Technology Forum focuses on AI, quantum computing, and biotechnology, aiding India’s National Quantum Mission. |
| Infrastructure and Connectivity | QUAD infrastructure initiatives offer opportunities for India to enhance regional connectivity. | The QUAD Infrastructure Coordination Group aligns members’ infrastructure efforts in the Indo-Pacific, complementing India’s International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). |
| Maritime Security and Freedom of Navigation | QUAD reinforces India’s commitment to ensuring free and open sea lanes in the Indo-Pacific, crucial for its trade and energy security. Approximately 95% of the country’s trade by volume and 68% by value is moved through Maritime Transport. | Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) launched in 2022. |
| Climate Change and Disaster Response | QUAD provides India a platform to address climate change and disaster response, critical for a country vulnerable to climate impacts. | The QUAD Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Package (Q-CHAMP) focuses on green shipping corridors, clean energy cooperation, and climate services. |
| Cyber Security and Critical Technologies | QUAD offers a framework for cooperation in cyber security and critical technologies. | The QUAD Cybersecurity Partnership announced in 2023 focuses on improving cyber resilience and response. |
PERSISTING CHALLENGES
| Category | Details | Examples |
| Balancing Act with China | India faces the challenge of balancing QUAD participation with managing its complex relationship with China, as Beijing views QUAD as a containment strategy amid border tensions. | In 2023, China-India border talks showed progress but still highlighted persistent tensions. |
| Divergent Priorities within QUAD | QUAD members have differing priorities; the US and Australia focus on security, while India prefers a broader approach. Diverging views on Russia’s Ukraine invasion further highlight differences. | India’s neutral stance on Russia contrasts with the US and Australia imposing sanctions. |
| Resource and Capacity Constraints | Implementing QUAD initiatives strains India’s resources, given its domestic development priorities. Participation in vaccine partnerships and emerging technologies faces financial and human resource constraints. | India faced initial challenges in meeting domestic vaccine demands during the QUAD Vaccine Partnership. |
| Potential Economic Costs | Restructuring supply chains away from China may cause short-term economic costs for India, especially in its electronics industry, which relies on Chinese components. | Bilateral trade between India and China hit a record USD 135.98 billion in 2022. |
| Regional Perceptions and Diplomatic Challenges | India must manage regional perceptions of QUAD, especially from ASEAN, to avoid diplomatic isolation, while balancing its participation in groups like BRICS. | India balances participation in QUAD and BRICS, which includes China and Russia. |
| Operational and Interoperability Challenges | Enhancing QUAD interoperability is challenging for India due to its diverse military equipment, including Russian-origin systems, complicating defense cooperation and potential CAATSA sanctions concerns. | India’s use of Russian S-400 missile systems led to concerns about US CAATSA sanctions. |
Way Forward
1. Issue-based Alignment within QUAD: India should pursue a flexible, issue-based alignment within QUAD, focusing on areas of mutual interest without compromising on its core strategic interests.
2. Enhancing Domestic Capabilities: Investing in domestic capabilities, particularly in defense and technology sectors, can reduce external dependencies and strengthen India’s position within QUAD.
3. Proactive Agenda Setting: India should take a more proactive role in setting the QUAD agenda, focusing on areas where it has strengths and which align with its strategic interests.
4. Diversified Engagement Strategy: India should continue to engage with multiple regional and global forums alongside QUAD. This includes active participation in BRICS, SCO, and ASEAN-led mechanisms.
5. Balanced Infrastructure Development: India should leverage QUAD’s infrastructure initiatives while maintaining its own sovereign projects.
6. Selective Defense Cooperation: While engaging in QUAD defense initiatives, India should maintain selectivity in its military engagements. The focus should be on enhancing interoperability and capacity building without entering into binding defense pacts.
MINILATERALISM
Minilaterals refer to informal and more targeted initiatives intended to address specific threats, contingencies, or security issues with a small number of states (usually three or four) sharing the same interest in resolving it within a finite period.
Reasons for the rise of Minilateralism
| Reason | Description | Example |
| Challenges to Multilateralism | The evolving global order and inconsistent leadership, coupled with the rise of multipolarity, have reduced the effectiveness of multilateral organizations. | WTO struggles to reach consensus due to diverse memberships. |
| Geopolitical Rivalry & Flexibility | Geopolitical tensions, especially between the US and China, highlight the need for focused, flexible alliances. | The Quad (US, India, Japan, and Australia) formed to counterbalance China’s influence in Indo-Pacific. |
| Outdated Power Structures | Institutions like the UN Security Council reflect outdated power structures, decreasing their effectiveness in modern geopolitics. | The G7 excludes emerging powers, leading to the creation of alternative groupings like BRICS. |
| Technological Advancements | Technological improvements have facilitated faster, more flexible communication and collaboration among smaller groups. | The Arctic Council addresses region-specific environmental and security concerns among Arctic nations. |
| Adaptability to Regional Problems | Minilateral organizations can better address regional variations by providing more targeted solutions to specific local problems. | ASEAN’s regional security and economic cooperation among Southeast Asian countries. |
| Pandemic as a Catalyst | The Covid-19 pandemic has driven the rise of strategic minilateral cooperation to tackle specific challenges like supply chains and public health. | India’s SAARC Covid-19 platform for coordinating pandemic response in South Asia. |
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