Courtesy:
PIB
Of late, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi participated in the fourth Quad Leaders ‘Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, hosted by the President of the United States of America, H.E. Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on 21 September 2024. In this summit, the leaders first reviewed the progress achieved by the Quad last year. Then set the agenda for the coming year for the countries of the Indo-Pacific region to help them meet their development goals and aspirations.
The objective behind the Quad is to keep the
strategic sea routes in the Indo-Pacific region free from any military or
political influence. It is seen as a strategic grouping to reduce Chinese
dominance. The main objective of the Quad is to secure a rules-based global
order, freedom of navigation, and a liberal trade system. The alliance also
aims to offer alternative debt financing for countries in the Indo-Pacific
region. In a true sense, the Quad is a diplomatic partnership between the four
countries.
WHAT IS QUAD AND
IT’S
FORMATION?
Known as the 'Quadrilateral Security
Dialogue' (QSD), the Quad is an informal strategic forum comprising four nations,
namely the United States of America (USA), India, Australia, and Japan. One of
the primary objectives of the Quad is to work for a free, open, prosperous, and
inclusive Indo-Pacific region. The group met for the first time in 2007 on the
sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Since then,
representatives of the four member countries have met from occasinally.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was the first to pitch the idea for the
formation of Quad in 2007.
It started with the Malabar exercises and the
2004 tsunami, when India carried out relief and rescue operations for itself
and neighboring countries and later the US, Japan, and Australia also joined
in. Hence, China lodged formal diplomatic protests with the members of the
Quad.
However, Australia withdrew from this forum
in the wake of political pressure from the Chinese government and growing
conflict between the US and China in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2010, military
cooperation between the US and Australia was re-invigorated, resulting in
Australia coming back to the Quad's naval exercises.
In 2012, the Japanese PM emphasized the idea
of Asia's 'Democratic Security Diamond', comprising the US, Japan, India, and
Australia. And finally, in 2017, the first official talks under the Quad took
place in the Philippines.
WHO SAID WHAT DURING THE SUMMIT
Biden said that together we should make the
Quad even better, make it even more important. He announced several initiatives
that will prove to be real for the Indo-Pacific and have a positive impact.
This will give our regional partners access to new maritime technologies so
that they can know what is happening in their waters. He believed that when
challenges come, the world will change.
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida
Fumio said that under this backdrop, it is ever more important for us, the
Quad, who share values such as freedom and democracy, to continue to
demonstrate our firm commitment to our common vision of FOIP, the free and open
Indo-Pacific, to the international community.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
said that through the Quad they use their significant resources and expertise
for the region. At the same time, their approach is to emphasize the importance
of national sovereignty. They also strive for security and stability as well as
shared prosperity in their region.
PM Narendra Modi said that the Quad supports
a rule-based international system. The Quad is made to remain active, not to
oppose anyone. The Prime Minister gave a strong message without naming China.
He said that the leaders of the Quad stand in respect of the rule-based and
international order and sovereignty. China wants its unilateral dominance in
the world and conspires with its neighboring countries to continue this dominance.
THE QUADE AS A FORCE FOR GLOBAL GOOD
The leaders of the organization have
emphasized that the Quad has emerged as "a force for global good." In
this regard, the following announcements have been made to meet the development
priorities of the Indo-Pacific region and the global community as a whole:
* Under the “Quad Cancer Moonshot,” an unprecedented
partnership will be forged to save lives in the Indo-Pacific region by
combating cervical cancer.
* The “Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific”
(MAITRI) aims to enable partner countries in the Indo-Pacific region to make
maximum use of the tools provided through IPMDA and other Quad activities.
* For the first time, the “Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer
Mission” will be launched in 2025 to improve interoperability and enhance
maritime security.
* “Building the Quad Ports of the Future as a
Partnership”, which will use the collective expertise of the Quad to cooperate
in the development of sustainable and resilient port infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific
region.
* The “Quad Principles for Developing and Expanding
Digital Public Infrastructure” will be pursued in the Indo-Pacific region and
beyond.
* “Semiconductor Supply Chain Contingency Network
Memorandum of Cooperation” to enhance facilities in the Quad’s semiconductor
supply chains.
* The Quad will make a collective effort to promote
energy efficiency, including the deployment and manufacturing of
high-efficiency affordable cooling systems in the Indo-Pacific region.
* India will establish a space-based web portal for
Mauritius to provide enhanced support using science for space-based monitoring
of extreme weather events and climate impacts.
* India has announced a new sub-category
under the Quad STEM Fellowship under which students from the Indo-Pacific
region will be admitted to a 4-year graduate-level engineering program at a
Government of India-funded technical institution.
IMPACT
OF QUAD ON CHINA
Experts have different views on the impact of the Quad
meeting on China. But, the Quad decisions are certainly another economic blow
to China. This forum strategically counters China's economic and military rise.
Moreover, the friendship between America and India is increasing China's
tension.
Since 2016, Australia has been actively
challenging Chinese coercive behavior and actions threatening the existing
world order. It was the first among all other countries to ban Huawei from
participating in the rollout of 5G networks.
Japan views the South China Sea as vital to
its security. Therefore, it is also concerned that China's militarized claims
in the region could trigger confrontation in Southeast Asia. Japan is
constantly wary of what it calls regular "incursions" by the Chinese
navy.
The US Commerce Department is preparing to
ban Chinese software in vehicles. The US government has planned to ban
connected cars equipped with Chinese software and hardware, citing security.
PM Modi declared the day is not far when you
will see Made in India chips in America. A deal has also been made to build the
first national security 'semiconductor fabrication plant' in collaboration
between India and America. This chip plant is also special because this is the
first time that the US Army is partnering with India for high technology.
Today, the whole world is surrounded by conflicts, the
Quad conference is timely and through this, every conflict can be resolved
peacefully. The Quad working together based on shared democratic values is
important for all humanity. How good it is that to counter the communist
nation, Quad countries can help each other for strategic exploration in the
Indo-pacific region.
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