Quad Foreign Ministers meeting
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Recently, representatives of India, Australia, Japan and the United States of America discussed various issues at the Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting in Tokyo, Japan.
India has underlined the importance of the Quad in promoting an independent, open and rules-based system, highlighting its concrete results and its integration into the foreign policy framework.
India has emphasized the Quad's broad agenda, which includes areas such as telecommunications technology, humanitarian aid, cyber security, health security and climate action, rejecting the notion that the group is merely a discussion forum.
It has also been announced that India will host the next Quad Leaders' Summit later this year, while the US will host the next Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in 2025.
Quad
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD), often referred to as the Quad, is an informal strategic alliance comprising four countries:
India
United States of America
Australia
Japan
Origin and purpose
First proposed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007, the Quad officially became a formal group in 2017 after overcoming various challenges, such as Australia's early withdrawal due to pressure from China.
A primary objective of the Quad is to promote a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
Importance
Major achievements of Quad
The Quad has made significant progress in delivering the Covid-19 vaccine, sharing satellite data for disaster management, and providing STEM scholarships and infrastructure fellowships.
Emphasis on India's common values
During the recent meeting, India highlighted the Quad's dedication to shared democratic values and international cooperation and has established it as a modern example of successful multilateral cooperation.
Main points of the meeting
- Strong stance against China
The Quad has reaffirmed its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, strongly opposing any unilateral action by China that seeks to change the status quo through force or pressure.
The group has expressed concern over China's activities in the South China Sea, such as the militarization of disputed areas and the risky use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels.
- Support for regional organizations
Members of the Quad have emphasized the central role of ASEAN and the importance of ASEAN-led regional frameworks, including the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum.
He also committed to supporting the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
- Increased maritime domain awareness
Quad plans to expand its Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) program to include the Indian Ocean and launch a South Asia program through India's Information Fusion Center for the Indian Ocean region.
- Anti-terrorism efforts
The Quad has condemned terrorism, including the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, and taken action against UN-listed terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). The group urged nations to ensure that their territories are not used for terrorist activities.
- Pay attention to important technologies and innovations
New initiatives include developing a secure telecommunications network and implementing the Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) in Palau.
Quad members also called for advances in artificial intelligence (AI) research, semiconductor supply chain flexibility and collaboration in synthetic biology.
- Cyber security initiative
The Quad established the Quad Cyber Ambassador Meeting and accelerated capacity building projects. They also focused on cyber security in critical infrastructure and mutual recognition of cyber security standards.
Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA)
IPMDA Initiative Overview
The IPMDA initiative, launched at the Quad Leaders Summit in Tokyo in 2022, focuses on integrating the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) within the Indo-Pacific framework.
Primary purpose
The initiative aims to track vessels that disable their Automatic Identification System (AIS) to avoid detection.
Importance
IPMDA is an important effort to enhance security and stability in the Indo-Pacific, a region of major global geopolitical importance.
Challenges facing Quad
China's opposition to the Quad
China has consistently opposed the Quad, seeing it as a strategy to encircle China and create discord among regional powers. In 2018, China's foreign minister described the Quad as a 'headline-grabbing idea' and countries such as Bangladesh have been pressured to avoid alliances with the group.
Challenges with multilateral forums
The Quad faces difficulties in balancing its objectives with other major multilateral forums, such as the G20 and G7, which are also led by Quad countries.
Addressing the concerns of the Global South
The Quad needs to address the concerns of the Global South, including its surrounding regions. China has portrayed the Quad as an 'exclusionary bloc', drawing support from regions that feel isolated in global discussions.
Next step
Integrate quad goals
Address global challenges such as the Ukraine conflict and climate change with an integrated approach that complements the efforts of the Quad within these larger frameworks.
Connect with emerging economies
Ensure that Quad initiatives reflect the interests of developing countries to counter China's narrative of treating the Quad as an excluded group.
Building consensus and accommodating global voices
Achieving consensus requires more than public statements.
Effective consensus building involves behind-the-scenes negotiations, concessions and addressing the concerns of global players. Quad's ability to manage these complexities while presenting a unified front will be critical to its success.
