The foreign ministers of Australia, the US, Japan and India will participate in the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting in Delhi. The two-day Group of 20 Nations (G20) foreign ministers’ meeting (FMM) started today in the national capital. The FMM and the Quad FMM will take place along with the Raisina Dialogue that starts on March 2.

Australia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoshimasa Hayashi, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and their Indian counterpart S Jaishankar will sit together for the meeting.

What is the QUAD?

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD), or Quad, is a strategic forum comprising the US, Japan, India, and Australia. Initially convened in 2007 by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the forum was established to deepen diplomatic and military arrangements between the four countries. The four countries shared common strategic interests and values.

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The group aims to promote a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region and advance common interests such as maritime security, connectivity, infrastructure development, and counterterrorism. The group also seeks to promote economic growth, trade, and investment in the region while ensuring that such development is sustainable, transparent, and respects the rule of law.

However, some experts also see the rise of the group as a direct challenge to the increasingly bellicose Chinese stance in the region. The group has maintained that it was not created to oppose any country. The Quad foreign ministers discuss regional and global issues of common concern during their annual meeting.

What has the Quad achieved?

The Quad has achieved several notable outcomes in various sectors including economic and diplomatic understanding, regional security and military cooperation, COVID-19 response and more.

The Quad countries have collaborated to enhance regional security and stability, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. They have conducted joint military exercises, shared intelligence, and conducted joint patrols to counter piracy, terrorism, and other security threats. These include the expansion of military and naval exercises like the Malabar naval exercise and the Australian-US joint Exercise Talisman Saber.

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The Quad countries have also sought to strengthen economic ties and promote free and open trade in the region. They have initiated discussions on supply chain resilience, critical minerals, infrastructure development, and other economic issues. However, the economic element of Quad discussions has been lacking due to differences in policy aims between the four countries.

The four-member countries have also collaborated on the COVID-19 response, including vaccine production and distribution, medical research, and public health initiatives.

The group has also emphasised the importance of promoting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in the region. Presenting a united democratic front, the group has condemned authoritarianism, cyber threats, and disinformation campaigns.

(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)

First Published:Mar 2, 2023 6:39 AM IST