Perspective: Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

• 08 Aug 2024

For Prelims: Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Quad, Indo-Pacific region, War in Ukraine, South China Sea, East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum, Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA), Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean Region, UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 26/11 Mumbai Attacks, Open Radio Access Networks (Open RAN), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, G20, G7, Global South, energy security, Climate Change

For Mains: Significance of the Regional and International Groupings Like Quad in Securing India’s Interests.

Why in News?

Recently, the Foreign Ministers of India, Australia and Japan and the Secretary of State of the United States of America met at the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Tokyo, Japan.

• India highlighted the Quad’s role in advancing a free, open rules-based order, emphasizing its practical outcomes and systemic integration into foreign policies.
• India noted the Quad’s broad agenda, including telecom technology, humanitarian relief, cyber and health security, and climate action, rejecting claims that it is merely a talking shop.
• Also, it was announced that India will host the next Quad Leaders’ Summit later this year and the US will host the next Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting in 2025.

What is the Quad?

• About:
  • The 'Quadrilateral Security Dialogue' (QSD), commonly referred to as the Quad, is an informal strategic forum consisting of four countries: India, the United States, Australia, and Japan.
• Objective:
  • One of its main goals is to promote a free, open, prosperous, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
• Origin:
  • Initially proposed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007, the Quad became a formal group in 2017 after overcoming challenges, including Australia's initial withdrawal due to Chinese pressure.
• Significance:
  • Achievements: The Quad has achieved significant milestones in providing Covid-19 vaccines, sharing satellite data for disaster management, and offering STEM scholarships and infrastructure fellowships.
  • International Cooperation: India at the recent meet emphasized the Quad's commitment to shared democratic values and international cooperation, asserting that it serves as a contemporary example of effective multilateral engagement.
  • Strategic Counter to China: The Quad forum is perceived as a strategic counter to China’s economic and military rise.
    • Discussions within the Quad frequently address China’s aggressive and coercive actions in the Indo-Pacific.
    • The Quad does not exist solely to counter China but regularly addresses its influence and activities.
  • Opportunities for Multilateral Cooperation: The Quad provides India with opportunities to engage in multilateral initiatives aimed at ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific.

What are Key Highlights from the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting?

• Commitment to International Order:
  • The Quad members reaffirmed commitment to upholding international order for global good, discussing shared challenges and plans for the Quad to benefit the Indo-Pacific region.
  • The Quad expressed deep concern about the war in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis, as well as the situation in Gaza and Myanmar.
• Strong Message to China:
  • The Quad reaffirmed its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, opposing unilateral actions by China that alter the status quo through force or coercion.
  • Concerns were raised over China's actions in the South China Sea, including the militarization of disputed features and the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels.
• Support for Regional Institutions
  • The Quad members endorsed ASEAN’s central role and the ASEAN-led regional architecture, including the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum.
  • Also, committed to supporting the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
• Expanded Maritime Domain Awareness:
  • The Quad plans to extend its Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) program to the Indian Ocean and operationalize the South Asia program through India’s Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean Region.
• Commitment to Free and Open Order:
  • The Quad emphasized upholding a rules-based global order, respecting sovereignty, human rights, and democratic values.
  • There was a call for adherence to international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to address maritime challenges.
• Countering Terrorism:
  • The Quad condemned terrorism, including the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, and called for action against UN-listed terrorist groups such as Al-Qa'ida, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LeT), and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).
  • The group urged countries to prevent their territories from being used for terrorist activities.
• Critical Technologies and Innovation:
  • New initiatives include developing a secure telecommunication network and implementing Open Radio Access Networks (Open RAN) in Palau.
  • Members called for progress in Artificial Intelligence (AI) research and semiconductor supply chain resilience, and exploration of synthetic biology cooperation.
• Cybersecurity Initiatives:
  • The Quad established Quad Cyber Ambassadors Meeting and accelerated capacity building projects. Addressed cybersecurity in critical infrastructure and mutual recognition of cybersecurity standards.
• Disaster Response and Humanitarian Assistance:
  • The Quad members supported disaster response coordination and humanitarian assistance, including relief efforts in Papua New Guinea.
  • The group finalized Quad Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Climate Change and Clean Energy:
  • Under the Quad Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Package (Q-CHAMP), focused on enhancing climate and clean energy cooperation and supporting Pacific island countries.

What is the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA)?

• The IPMDA Initiative, announced at the Quad Leaders' Summit in Tokyo in 2022, aims to integrate the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean region (IOR) within the Indo-Pacific.
• Its main objective is to track vessels that disable their Automatic Identification System (AIS) to avoid detection.
• The IPMDA is a key effort to enhance security and stability in the Indo-Pacific, a region of significant global geopolitical importance.
• Additionally, the initiative focuses on monitoring tactical-level activities to address climate and humanitarian events and protect fisheries vital to many Indo-Pacific economies.

What are the Challenges for the Quad?

• Navigating Multilateral Platforms: The Quad faces challenges in balancing its agenda with other significant multilateral platforms like the G20 and G7, which are also led by Quad countries.
• Consensus Building Amidst Global Divisions: One major challenge is achieving consensus on contentious global issues, such as the war in Ukraine.
• Addressing Global South Concerns: The Quad must address the concerns of the Global South, including those in its neighborhood. China has positioned the Quad as an "exclusionary bloc," gaining traction in regions that feel marginalized by global discussions.
• Balancing Security and Development: Emerging economies are skeptical of Western sanctions on Russia due to their negative impact on energy security and commodity prices. While on other hand India has increased its oil imports from Russia causing conflict of interest for India within the Quad forum.
• China’s Opposition to Quad: China has consistently opposed the Quad, viewing it as a strategy to encircle China and incite discord among regional powers.
  • In 2018, China’s Foreign Minister criticized the Quad as a “headline-grabbing idea” and has pressured countries like Bangladesh to avoid aligning with the group.

Ways Forward

• Leverage Multilateral Platforms: Utilize the Quad's leadership roles in G7 and G20, to synchronize agendas and reinforce common goals. Ensure that the Quad’s initiatives align with broader multilateral discussions to enhance their global impact.
• Integrate Quad Goals: Address global challenges such as the Ukraine conflict and climate change with a unified approach that complements the Quad’s efforts within these larger frameworks.
• Engage with Emerging Economies: Ensure that the interests of developing countries are reflected in Quad initiatives to counter China’s narrative of the Quad as an exclusionary bloc.
• Expand Technological Initiatives: Advance projects in artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductor supply chains, and cybersecurity. Continue developing secure telecommunication networks and exploring synthetic biology cooperation.
• Collaborate on Cybersecurity: Enhance cybersecurity initiatives through mutual recognition of standards and capacity-building projects.
• 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. The Quad’s ability to manage these complexities while presenting a unified front will be crucial to its success.
  • The Quad must balance its security-focused agenda with developmental concerns, ensuring it accommodates diverse global perspectives.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Prelims:

Q. In which one of the following groups are all the four countries members of G20? (2020)

(a) Argentina, Mexico, South Africa and Turkey

(b) Australia, Canada, Malaysia and New Zealand

(c) Brazil, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam

(d) Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and South Korea

Ans: (a)

Q. The term ‘Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership’ often appears in the news in the context of the affairs of a group of countries known as (2016)

(a) G20

(b) ASEAN

(c) SCO

(d) SAARC

Ans: (b)

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Mains:

Q. Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is transforming itself into a trade bloc from a military alliance, in present times Discuss. (2020)