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Role of QUAD in Indo-Pacific Region
QUAD(Quadrilateral Security Dialogue)
QUAD is the grouping of 4 popular democratic countries of the world-India, USA, Australia, Japan. Being democratic nations these 4 nations join QUAD with a common ground to support the common of unhindered maritime trade and security. So role of QUAD in Indo-Pacific region became very important.
- The main of QUAD is to support and ensure “a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region”
- The idea of QUAD was first given by the Japanese PM Shinzo Abe in 2007. But the idea was not worked out because of Chinese pressure.
- In 2017, QUAD was formed after all the negotiation. India, Australia, the US and Japan came together to work with a common interest.
Opportunities for India in QUAD
Countering Chinese Interest:
- The maritime space in India Ocean is more important to China because a huge portion of Chinese trade happens through the route of Indian Ocean that have to pass through various maritime checkpoints.
- With the cooperation of the QUAD countries, India can massively affect the Chinese trade if it faces any kind of Chinese aggression on its borders.
- Therefore, while China-Pakistan cooperation appears to be a ‘level playing field’ for India, there is opportunity for India in the oceans to build alliances, establish regulation and strategic exploration.
Emergence of QUAD as a Security Provider:
- In the oceanic region, especially with the advent of the concept of ‘Indo-Pacific’, the superpower countries are on the rise. For example, several European countries have recently released their Indo-Pacific strategies.
- India, which can extend its influence beyond geographical boundaries, is centrally positioned in the Indo-Pacific geopolitical imagination, enabling a vision for an ‘extended Asia’.
- In addition, India has sought collective action for humanitarian assistance and disaster protection, monitoring of shipping for search and rescue or anti-oceanic operations, tie-up assistance for states vulnerable to climate hazards, connectivity access plans, and so on. Can create possibilities of works.
- Additionally, India along with the Quad countries can check China’s imperialist policies in the Indian Ocean region and ensure security and development for all in the region.
Challenges for QUAD
- Undefined Vision: QUAD has a lot of potential for cooperation but the major challenge for it is to work without a defined strategic vision.
- Dominance of Maritime: The entire focus of QUAD is oceanic in Indo-Pacific not focusing on land based grouping. It is not clear that whether QUAD wants cooperation in only Asia-Pacific or extends to the Eurasian region.
- India is reluctant of Alliance System: India is the only member in Quad who is reluctant to a treaty alliance system. This is also a challenge for QUAD because it has slowed down to build Quadrilateral engagement more stronger.
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Future Vision of QUAD
- The QUAD nations should focus on Indo-Pacific vision with a strong objective with advancing members economic and security interests.
- India has good relation with other nations in Indo-Pacific so India should invite the closer countries like Indonesia, Singapore make the QUAD stronger.
- India should enhance a comprehensive strategy on Indo-Pacific because the region is very important for India as a global power.
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Formations of New QUAD with Philippines can Create Pressure on India
- The Philippines recently announced joining the new Quad, which already includes India, the US, Japan and Australia. Through this new organizational jointness, India and its allies get a stronger platform to cooperate on strategic, economic and political issues.
- The inclusion of the Philippines in the Quad could increase the pressure on India as it signals India’s assertiveness towards its opposition countries. Along with this, it is believed that there will be a network of shared strategic protection among the member countries of the Quad, which will give India the strength to wage organized war with its neighboring countries. Due to this pressure, India has to be more vigilant in protecting its security and national interests.
- The inclusion of the Philippines in the Quad could pose a major challenge for India. The Philippines is an important Pacific nation facing standoff and disputes with China. If the Philippines perseveres in Quad membership to safeguard its rights, China will be more likely to see the Quad as an opposition alliance and seek to make it more influential.
- The entry of Philippines to India may increase the pressure of competition. The arrival of the Philippines could further strengthen the Quad and protect it against China. It will help India in the security of its borders on the one hand, while on the other it will provide a strong common platform with India’s opposition countries.
Thus, the entry of the Philippines into the Quad could increase the pressure for India. This may create the need for India to be more vigilant and it should be able to protect its security and national interests.
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