Conventional wisdom among scholars and diplomats is that the world cannot afford more turbulence, given that both Europe and the Middle East are in the throes of conflict. On top of this, important changes are afoot with the assumption of office as American President by Donald Trump. It is against this backdrop that the critical region of Indo-Pacific must be viewed. Peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific is therefore not a matter of choice; it is a vital necessity.
The importance of the Indo-Pacific region is well known but it bears repetition. The region has enormous species richness, comprises four different continents: Asia, Africa, Australia and America, 60 per cent of the world’s population and at least two-thirds of global economic output. Add to that the fact the region is the most dynamic, economically speaking, it becomes critical for global economic prosperity. Furthermore, 50% of Global Trade and 40% of Crude Oil passes through the sea lanes of communication in this region. In the context of India, this includes 90% of our trade and 80% of our critical freight- Coal, Petroleum and Gas, Iron Ore and Fertilizers. It is therefore difficult to overstate the importance of the Indo-Pacific region for the world in general and for India in particular.
The main strategic challenge in the Indo-Pacific region is to ensure that it remains free and open, where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity are upheld and defended. A rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific is therefore an imperative necessity. In concrete terms, this means the prevention of hegemony and domination by any single power in the region.
This is where the Quadrilateral security framework (hereinafter referred to as Quad) comes into play. The origins of the Quad and the role played by the late Japanese leader Shinzo Abe are too well known to bear any repetition here. Equally, Chinese opposition to the idea of Quad is also well known with their then (and now) Foreign Minister Wang Yi saying it will dissipate like sea foam. The fact of the matter is that four important maritime democracies, namely, US, India, Japan and Australia have gotten together and decided to establish a like-minded concert of nations for the specific purpose of undertaking strategically important projects in the Indo-Pacific.
Whether or not Quad is a security grouping is tangential to the main challenge confronting the Indo-Pacific region. What is clear is that the Quad does not deal with traditional security i.e. guns, artillery, tanks and the like. But there should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that the Quad does deal with the full gamut of subjects falling under the rubric of “non-traditional security”. This comprises, inter-alia, health security, maritime security, economic and technological security, climate security and cyber security. All these areas were dealt with substantively by the last Quad summit held in Delaware in September 2024. Known as the Wilmington Leaders’ declaration, it listed several concrete measures that the Quad leaders decided in these non-traditional areas of security. For example, in the area of public health, the Quad leaders announced the Quad Cancer Moonshot, a groundbreaking partnership to save lives in the Indo-Pacific region.
Building on the Quad’s successful partnership during the COVID-19 pandemic, their collective investments to address cancer in the region, their scientific and medical capabilities, and their contributions from private and non-profit sectors, they undertook to collaborate with partner nations to reduce the burden of cancer in the region. In maritime security, the leaders decided that the U.S. Coast Guard, Japan Coast Guard, Australian Border Force, and Indian Coast Guard, will launch a first-ever Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission in 2025, to improve interoperability and advance maritime safety, and continue with further missions across the Indo-Pacific. The Quad leaders also announced an ambitious expansion of their partnership to deliver trusted technology solutions to the broader Indo-Pacific region. This exercise will be underpinned by the forthcoming Quad Principles for Research and Development collaborations in Critical and Emerging Technologies. This Quad leaders’ summit meeting was in some respects a farewell for President Joe Biden.
The question has been posed by scholars and diplomats as to whether the Quad grouping will get priority attention from the Trump administration which has just taken office in Washington. Well, the answer should be clear. Even on the sidelines of the inaugural ceremony in Washington, the four Foreign Ministers of US, India, Australia and Japan met on 21 January 2025 and issued a brief declaration. The declaration makes clear the continued commitment of the four maritime democracies to a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. It is worth noting that this was the first meeting of the American Secretary of State Marco Rubio with any foreign interlocutors. The Quad under Trump administration can therefore expect to flourish.
India can look forward to hosting the Quad Leaders’ summit in 2025. When that happens, President Trump can also expect a State Visit with all the pomp and circumstance that goes with it. But the main point to note is this: the Quad is a global force for good and is here to stay. The Indo-Pacific it too important a region to ignore and the four maritime democracies will ensure that their stellar cooperation will be strengthened and consolidated regardless of political changes at the top in their respective countries.
Dr Mohan Kumar is a former Indian Ambassador to France and currently Dean/Professor at O.P. Jindal Global University. Views are personal.
