Quad Leaders’ Virtual Meet

In News

• In the recent meeting, QUAD leaders discussed the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and assessed its broader implications. 

Major Highlights of the meeting 

• Among the four countries, India has been the only one to abstain on Ukraine-related resolutions criticising Russia in the United Nations, which has led to considerable consternation in the West.
• New humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mechanism
  • India publicly set aside their differences on the issue of Ukraine and agreed to establish a “new humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mechanism” which will provide a channel for communication as they each address and respond to the crisis in Ukraine.
  • It will enable the QUAD to meet future humanitarian challenges in the Indo-Pacific and provide a channel for communication as they each address and respond to the crisis in Ukraine.
• Unilateral changes to the status quo by force or coercion like the recent Russian aggression against Ukraine are unacceptable in the Indo-Pacific region.
• The West views this as condoning Russia’s actions and applying double standards while India raises the issue of “territorial integrity and sovereignty” when it comes to China.
• This is India’s diplomatic dilemma, which is because of India’s strategic ties with Russia and its dependence on Russia for military supplies 60 to 70 per cent of India’s military hardware is of Russian-origin.
  • This is extremely crucial at a time when India has an ongoing border standoff with China.
• India’s worry remains its 20,000 Indian students and nationals, many of them who live close to the Ukraine-Russia border.
  • Many of these students are enrolled in the medical colleges of Ukraine.
  • India has also emphasized that it was concerned about the safety and security of civilians.

Significance of the recent meeting 

• They reaffirmed their dedication to the QUAD as a mechanism to promote regional stability and prosperity.
• The coming together of the Quad leaders and the demonstration of unity, despite the divergence of views on the Russia-Ukraine crisis, also underlined their common position on the Chinese challenge.
• They reaffirm their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, in which the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states is respected and countries are free from military, economic, and political coercion.
  • India underlined that the Quad must remain focused on its core objective of promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
• This was a clear reference to China’s belligerence and aggressive activities in the Indo-Pacific region from the India-China boundary to the South China Sea to economic coercion against Australia.
• They also discussed other topical issues, including the situation in Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean region and the Pacific Islands.

About QUAD

• It is also known as Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD).
• QUAD is an informal group of India, the US, Japan and Australia.
• It is a strategic dialogue with the objective to ensure a free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo Pacific.

• Shared values between the nations are:
  • Political democracies
  • Market economies
  • Pluralistic societies
• Timeline:
  • 2007: Japanese PM Shinzo Abe mooted the idea of Quadrilateral Security Dialogue
    • Could not materialize due to the reluctance of Australia
  • December 2012: Shinzo Abe again initiated a concept of Asia’s Democratic Security Diamond, involving Australia, India, Japan and the US.
    • The aim was to safeguard the maritime commons from the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific.
  • November 2017: QUAD Coalition was finally given a present-day form with the active participation of India, the US, Australia and Japan.
    • The aim was to keep critical sea routes open and free for navigation in the Indo-Pacific.
  • Foreign ministers of the four countries held their first meeting under the ‘Quad’ framework in New York in September 2019.

Importance of QUAD for India

• Countering Chinese Influence: Recent stand-offs on the Indo-China Border and the reluctance of Russia to step in and build pressure is forcing India to look for alternatives.
• Post-COVID Diplomacy: The disruption across the world and non-transparent systems of China pose an opportunity for India to take lead and become the World’s Manufacturing Hub.
  • India can leverage its expertise in the vaccine and pharma industry to increase its soft power.
  • Further, Japan and the US want to shift their manufacturing companies out of China in order to curb its imperialistic behavior.
• Net Security Provider in the Indian Ocean: India under the SAGAR initiative wants to become a net security provider in the Indian Ocean.
  • QUAD cooperation may give India access to multiple strategic locations for creating Naval bases.
• Multipolar World: India has supported a rule-based multipolar world and QUAD can help it in achieving its ambition of becoming a regional superpower.

 Challenges before QUAD

• Formal opposition by China: China has formally intimated its displeasure over the QUAD meetings.
  • It is being termed as Asian NATO.
• Trade and Supply Chains: As seen recently, China is trying to leverage its position in Trade and Commerce to arm-twist other nations especially China and Japan.
  • Recently, MV Anastasia, an Australian coal-carrying ship was stranded for more than a month on the Chinese Coast. Even Indian Sailors got trapped in that.
  • China threatened to stop the supply of rare earth metals to the Japanese electronic industry.
  • The Corona pandemic disrupted the Global supply chain due to lockdown in China.
• Chinese Closeness to ASEAN: With the signing of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), ASEAN and China have come further close.
• Cheque Book Diplomacy of China: The One Belt One Road Initiative, Maritime Silk Route, Unsustainable Debt and Project Fundings, etc are being deployed by China to attract small nations.
• Different Aspirations of QUAD Nations: QUAD’s coherence may suffer due to
  • India’s bid to balance QUAD and RIC (Russia, India and China),
  • The reluctance shown by Australia for QUAD in past,
  • Japan and the US are seeking their own economic interests with China.
  • Also there is a lack of coherence on the definition of Indo-Pacific.

Way forward

• India emphasized the need to return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy. This has been the consistent Indian position over the long period.
• India reiterated the importance of adhering to the UN Charter, international law and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• India called for concrete and practical forms of cooperation within the QUAD in areas like humanitarian and disaster relief, debt sustainability, supply chains, clean energy, connectivity and capacity-building.
• India has asked “all sides” to intensify diplomatic efforts to reach for an amicable solution at the earliest.
  • This is again a time-tested line of India’s, where it doesn’t blame one side or the other for not being cooperative.

Source: TH