Essence of the Quad and its extension as a “plus” grouping

In Context 

The launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) coincided with the Quad summit,  signifying the essence of the Quad and its extension as a “plus” grouping.

Key Takeaways from the Quad Summit

About Quad 

• It  is an informal multilateral grouping of India, the U.S., Australia, and Japan aimed at cooperation for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. 
• The region, composed of two oceans and spanning multiple continents, is a hub of maritime trade and naval establishments. 
  • While not stated explicitly by the leaders, one of the major bases for the grouping is to check China’s growing influence in the region.

• Formation 
  • India, Japan, Australia, and the US created an informal alliance to collaborate on disaster relief efforts after the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
  •  In 2007, then PM of Japan, Shinzo Abe, formalised the alliance, as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or the Quad.
  •  It was supposed to establish an Asian Arc of Democracy but was hampered by a lack of cohesion amongst its members and accusations that the group was nothing more than an anti-China bloc. 
  • In 2017, faced again with the rising threat of China, the four countries revived the Quad, broadening its objectives and creating a mechanism that aimed to slowly establish a rules-based international order.
  • The Quad leaders held their first formal summit in 2021

• Areas of Cooperation

• The March 2021 virtual summit gave rise to the main objectives of the Quad, outlined actionable goals, and formed expert working groups in multiple areas.
  • The areas of immediate focus were the pandemic through strengthening equitable vaccine access for the Indo-Pacific, combating climate change, sharing critical technologies, cyber security, supply chain resilience, and infrastructure and connectivity projects.

• As for emerging technologies, the four countries aimed to work on the development and diversification of 5G telecommunications and the creation of supply chains for critical minerals and technologies for making semiconductors used in smartphones, another area where China is a leader.

How does the IPEF complement the “Quad Plus” process?

• The IPEF complements the “Quad Plus” process. It brings together seven critical countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), all Quad states, and dialogue partners, including South Korea, solidifying a case for the “plus” characterisation of the Quad process. 
• The IPEF strongly imbibes a Quad Plus character at a time when two of the largest economies of the world, namely India and the US, are not a part of the China-led or ASEAN-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) or the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP; China is still an applicant). 
  • Thus, it is an encouraging sign that the Quad countries are investing their strategic orientation in this regard. 
•  It would potentially represent an amalgamation of the eastern and western “like-minded” countries. Even in its current abstract framework, it includes a wide array of states (which also comprise the IPEF) — developing and developed economies as well as middle and major powers that are committed to maintaining an inclusive, rules-based and liberal institutional order.
• The IPEF covers fair trade, supply chain resilience, infrastructure, clean energy, and decarbonisation, among others .
  • It  is likely to complement the other Indo-Pacific projects like the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI, founded by the three Quad states, Japan, Australia, and India) that also seeks to build resilient and secure trade linkages by reducing dependence on China.

Issues /Challenges

• China has formally intimated its displeasure over the QUAD meetings.
  • The narrative of the Quad as an anti-China tool (with a range of epithets, from “sea foam” to “Asian NATO”) promoted by China along with its belligerent tactics in the neighbourhood .
    • Japan and India are closest to China, and both face belligerent Chinese claims to territory

• 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.

• Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shaken up the old world order, reshaping geopolitics across the world.
  • As the leader of the Western alliance against Russia, the US is now deeply engaged with the war
  •  This might adversely impact US commitment to the Quad and the Indo-Pacific.
• The war in Ukraine also poses an internal challenge in the Quad. 
  • Three members — US, Japan and Australia — have taken an unequivocal stand against Russia’s aggression, while India’s position has been one of studied neutrality that calls for respect of territorial sovereignty and integrity and the UN charter, but does not criticise Russia. 
• A Quad  “plus” framework based more on a shared commitment to the existing international order rather than “democratic values” that are harder to define and more exclusive in nature. 

Way Forward 

•  The Quad Plus should strengthen cooperation on critical topics in the Quad’s agenda (for instance, security, critical technology, global health, climate action).
• Countries must envision a broad, all-embracing, and comprehensive framework that can stand as a pillar for regional security and stability, multilateralism, and defence of global institutionalism and the status quo. 
• The expanded grouping and the related Quad initiatives will build a comprehensive and integrated approach to combating shared challenges arising out of Xi Jinping’s push to promote manoeuvres that achieve his ultimate goal of rejuvenating China’s glorious past and transforming it into an absolute great power.

Source:IE