Whenever we focus on international conflicts, it’s very obvious to hear the name QUAD. Because it is one of the most active and important international groups for India right now. It is an informal strategic forum including four nations – United States of America (USA), Japan, India, and Australia. So, if you are curious about what is QUAD, its formation, objectives and importance, then read this article till the end. We’ve mentioned all of it here.
What is QUAD?
via: Times of India
QUAD stands for Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, which is an international alliance of four major countries namely the United States of America (USA), Japan, India, and Australia. The group works for a free, prosperous, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
The first meeting of this group was organised in 2007 on the sidelines of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). Then, it was considered the alliance of maritime democracies and maintained through meetings, information exchanges, semi-regular summits and military drills.
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Why Quad was Formed?
via: Intro India
After the Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004, India, USA, Australia and Japan made an informal alliance to work on disaster relief. Then in 2007, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe formalised this group into the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad).
But, Australia left the group in 2008 and rejoined it in 2020 when the trio India-USA-Japan were performing the Malabar exercise. The group became more active and came into the limelight after facing threats from China in 2017. After it, the group expanded its objectives and established a rules-based international order to counter China’s influence in the Indian Ocean.
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Objectives and Principles of Quad
via: The Hindu
In 2022, the main objective of Quad is to make important sea routes of the Indo-Pacific region free from any influence, especially from China. It works in several ways to control it:
- Follows a rules-based global order for a liberal trading system.
- Provides freedom of navigation.
- Work against predatory trade and its policies.
- Offers financial support to countries with debt in the Indo-Pacific region.
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Significance of Quad for India
via: Times of India
As we all know, India is battling China for the past two-three years. And, Quad plays a vital role for India in countering Chinese influence. As a member of this group, India has the advantage of three more powerful nations in the Indian ocean.