DPG Policy Brief
The Quad’s Expanding Agenda
Authors Commodore Lalit Kapur (Retd.)
Date: August 08, 2024
Since its revival in 2017, the deliberations of the Quad have generated considerable geopolitical interest across the Indo-Pacific. Quad foreign ministers began meeting in 2019, and discussions were elevated to the summit level in 2021.
In this policy brief, the author analyses the Quad’s expansive agenda following the recently concluded meeting of foreign ministers held in Tokyo on July 29, 2024. He observes that the Quad is not a security or economic alliance, but a strategic partnership of four democratic nations working cohesively for rules-based order, regional stability and the delivery of public goods across the Indo-Pacific. He then examines how effectively the Quad has delivered on its expansive agenda of cooperation.
The Quad’s vision and principles were laid down by its leaders in May 2023, which in effect aim to provide regional nations with an alternative to China by making positive contributions to the resilience and prosperity of the Indo- Pacific, while respecting the centrality and agency of regional institutions, including ASEAN, PIF and IORA.
HADR has been part of the Quad agenda since its very inception, and this pillar has now been well established as a valuable humanitarian response asset for the Indo-Pacific.
In terms of maritime security, the Quad has strongly propagated adherence to international law, including UNCLOS, and has made strides in enhancing the maritime domain awareness of regional countries through the IPMDA initiative. While Quad ministers have now committed to extend this initiative to South Asia, this will only include coverage of the eastern Indian Ocean.
This brief goes on to outline the impressive progress of the Quad across diverse areas: health security; climate change; counterterrorism; connectivity and infrastructure; critical and emerging technology; cyber security; space; and STEM fellowships.
What is more, the Quad has at its latest ministerial meeting also formulated a balanced and common position on major issues of global concern: the war in Ukraine; North Korea’s destabilising activities; the deteriorating situation in Myanmar; achieving peace and stability in the Middle East; and Houthi attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Despite criticism from China that the Quad is inciting bloc confrontation, it is clear that the Quad is not an “Asian NATO”, nor does it have an overt military role. However, its weight has likely provided a measure of deterrence against unilateral changes to the status quo in the East and South China Seas.
The author concludes with several observations regarding the Quad’s overall direction, highlighting the remarks of External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar that the Quad is now deeply embedded in the foreign policies of its members, and is a great contemporary example of cooperation among trusted democratic partners. How the Quad will evolve in the future will be partly determined by the role and leadership of India as it hosts the next Leaders’ Summit later this year.
To read this Policy Brief Volume IX, Issue 19, please click “The Quad’s Expanding Agenda” or see the PDF attached.
In this policy brief, the author analyses the Quad’s expansive agenda following the recently concluded meeting of foreign ministers held in Tokyo on July 29, 2024. He observes that the Quad is not a security or economic alliance, but a strategic partnership of four democratic nations working cohesively for rules-based order, regional stability and the delivery of public goods across the Indo-Pacific. He then examines how effectively the Quad has delivered on its expansive agenda of cooperation.
The Quad’s vision and principles were laid down by its leaders in May 2023, which in effect aim to provide regional nations with an alternative to China by making positive contributions to the resilience and prosperity of the Indo- Pacific, while respecting the centrality and agency of regional institutions, including ASEAN, PIF and IORA.
HADR has been part of the Quad agenda since its very inception, and this pillar has now been well established as a valuable humanitarian response asset for the Indo-Pacific.
In terms of maritime security, the Quad has strongly propagated adherence to international law, including UNCLOS, and has made strides in enhancing the maritime domain awareness of regional countries through the IPMDA initiative. While Quad ministers have now committed to extend this initiative to South Asia, this will only include coverage of the eastern Indian Ocean.
This brief goes on to outline the impressive progress of the Quad across diverse areas: health security; climate change; counterterrorism; connectivity and infrastructure; critical and emerging technology; cyber security; space; and STEM fellowships.
What is more, the Quad has at its latest ministerial meeting also formulated a balanced and common position on major issues of global concern: the war in Ukraine; North Korea’s destabilising activities; the deteriorating situation in Myanmar; achieving peace and stability in the Middle East; and Houthi attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Despite criticism from China that the Quad is inciting bloc confrontation, it is clear that the Quad is not an “Asian NATO”, nor does it have an overt military role. However, its weight has likely provided a measure of deterrence against unilateral changes to the status quo in the East and South China Seas.
The author concludes with several observations regarding the Quad’s overall direction, highlighting the remarks of External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar that the Quad is now deeply embedded in the foreign policies of its members, and is a great contemporary example of cooperation among trusted democratic partners. How the Quad will evolve in the future will be partly determined by the role and leadership of India as it hosts the next Leaders’ Summit later this year.
To read this Policy Brief Volume IX, Issue 19, please click “The Quad’s Expanding Agenda” or see the PDF attached.
