Background
As regional competition in the Indo-Pacific accelerates, it is important enough to understand and discern the present and future trajectory of the Quad. In this context, on May 19th, 2023, Observer Research Foundation America (ORF America), along with the Australia Strategic Policy Institute, Washington DC (ASPI Washington DC), and the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE/USA) hosted a virtual briefing on “Demystifying the Quad”. Featuring regional perspectives from India, Japan and Australia and the discussion was “on the record” and open to the public.
Discussion Summary
The Quad—a coalition of India, Australia, Japan, and the U.S.-- was meant to convene for the 3rd leaders level summit in Australia but would instead meet at the sidelines of the G-7 summit in Japan. Irrespective of that, the Quad’s “scope and depth” of activities and the “pace and frequency of interactions” are in and of itself significant.
First proposed by Japanese statesman Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan sees the Quad as key to securing and defending the “rules-based” order, both regionally and globally. The Quad’s purpose has evolved to become a forum for “tangible cooperation” on regional public goods, including maritime security, vaccine delivery and public health, climate change and sustainable infrastructure. India to a certain extent has driven this evolution. Partly due to its worsening threat perceptions of China after 2020 but also for its utility in “political signaling”.
Undoubtedly then, has the Quad’s progress also been enabled by healthier bilateral ties amongst its members. Australia cannot imagine an Indo-Pacific without India and the Indian Ocean region. And the Quad is therefore central to Australia’s statecraft as it “meets the moment” and provides a “bridge” between its new partners and traditional alliances in the Anglo sphere.
A striking convergence, therefore, in regional perspectives is a wariness vis-à-vis China’s military, economic and political coercion. Also, the participants acknowledged the Quad’s flexibility to work with like-minded partners including South Korea who may share similar concerns about the Indo-Pacific’s security environment. The discussion took stock of initiatives already underway in maritime security, trade and supply chains, semiconductors, emerging technologies, and cyberspace. Besides, the “institutionalization” and the habits of cooperation being formed at the working and senior officials’ level were also touched upon.
However, the Quad’s progress can be subject to the vagaries of domestic politics and the pressure to deliver against expectations. Nonetheless, four maritime democracies working together on security and non-traditional security issues portends well for the present and future of the Indo-Pacific region. To learn more about this discussion, watch the video here.
Speakers:
Mark Watson, Director, ASPI Washington DC
Kei Koga, Associate Professor, Nanyang Technological University
Rajeswari Rajagopalan, Director, Centre for Security, Strategy & Technology, Observer Research Foundation
Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director, ORF America (moderator)