What does the U.S. naval operation in India's exclusive economic zone mean for the Quad partnership? Will a rift in the Indo-Pacific alliance hand the advantage to China?'

Gravitas: Why is the U.S. antagonising India?

In medieval India, the royal courts buzzed with foreign dignitaries. Back then, India was a trading hub. A military power with huge standing armies. So, Indian friendship was a strategic goal. Today, centuries later, we are witnessing a revival. A global realignment is underway and India finds itself at the centre of it. &nbsp;

New Delhi is preparing for a busy summer, a summer of diplomacy. It started with a Quad summit in March. It was the first head of state-level meeting. For India, it was a new chapter. Remember, New Delhi is a non-aligned country. It has stayed away from political alliances. The Quad is the closest India has come to joining one. So, has India abandoned its commitment to neutrality?&nbsp;

Far from it, the Quad is an exercise in deterrence. It does not seek power in the Indo-Pacific. It just wants China to follow the rules as the only Quad member that shares a border with China, the stakes are higher for India but so are the opportunities. &nbsp;

The West sees India as a bulwark against China's rise and for a change, they are right. In the next few years, New Delhi could become one of the most powerful capitals in the world. Today, India hosted top officials from the US and Russia.&nbsp;

Not many countries in the world can do that but New Delhi is neutral turf. It has excellent ties with Moscow and Washington. Lavrov has left, Kerry will leave in a few days but India's summer of diplomacy isn't quite over.&nbsp;

Later this month, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be paying a visit. He will arrive as Britain's first post-Brexit prime minister. His intentions are clear. The UK is thinking beyond Europe. It wants in on the Indo-Pacific and India fits the bill:&nbsp;a massive trading machine with strong regional influence.

So, here's a quick round-up of who has visited India. First, the Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin, then Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov.&nbsp;

US climate envoy John Kerry and capping the summer will be Boris Johnson. What does this train of foreign leaders symbolise?&nbsp;

India's rise, its position of pre-eminence across the board. Just think about the scope. From Delhi, the democratic axis can keep a check on China. They can keenly monitor the Afghan peace process and at the same time, keep an eye on Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. The bottom line is it pays to be a stable and prospering democracy. Who will the world trust to guard the peace in Afghanistan?&nbsp;

A country that is one bad week away from a military coup? Or the largest democracy in the world?&nbsp;

It's a no-brainer. The world needs New Delhi to ensure ever-lasting peace in Afghanistan but like all partnerships, this is a two-way street. India too needs world powers in its corner, especially in defence. &nbsp;

Russia's ties with India were forged over time. It is something America will have to contend with. Take the S-400 missile system for instance. Later this year, India will take delivery of the Russian missiles. This will put New Delhi in America's CAATSA bracket. CAATSA stands for Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.&nbsp;

In theory, the US could sanction India, once the Russian missiles arrive but will America actually do so?&nbsp;

That's a whole different question. Joe Biden has certain foreign policy pet peeves, such as climate change, the Iran nuclear deal and the Indo-Pacific. He can't achieve any of these without Indian support. So, there is a growing caucus in Washington that wants a sanctions-waiver for India. The CAATSA is supposed to target America's adversaries. Is that really how Joe Biden wants to categorise India? As an adversary? Highly unlikely. The world's interests are converging with india's. These are exciting times in New Delhi's south block. World powers are courting the Indian leadership. Climate, peace, defence, you name it. They want New Delhi on board. If India plays its cards right, the summer of diplomacy could mark the beginning of pax indica, a world order built around India.&nbsp;

In medieval India, the royal courts buzzed with foreign dignitaries. Back then, India was a trading hub. A military power with huge standing armies. So, Indian friendship was a strategic goal.

In medieval India, the royal courts buzzed with foreign dignitaries. Back then, India was a trading hub. A military power with huge standing armies. So, Indian friendship was a strategic goal. Today, centuries later, we are witnessing a revival. A global realignment is underway and India finds itself at the centre of it. New Delhi is preparing for a busy summer, a summer of diplomacy. It started with a Quad summit in March. It was the first head of state-level meeting. For India, it was a new chapter. Remember, New Delhi is a non-aligned country. It has stayed away from political alliances. The Quad is the closest India has come to joining one. So, has India abandoned its commitment to neutrality? Far from it, the Quad is an exercise in deterrence. It does not seek power in the Indo-Pacific. It just wants China to follow the rules as the only Quad member that shares a border with China, the stakes are higher for India but so are the opportunities. The West sees India as a bulwark against China's rise and for a change, they are right. In the next few years, New Delhi could become one of the most powerful capitals in the world. Today, India hosted top officials from the US and Russia. Not many countries in the world can do that but New Delhi is neutral turf. It has excellent ties with Moscow and Washington. Lavrov has left, Kerry will leave in a few days but India's summer of diplomacy isn't quite over. Later this month, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be paying a visit. He will arrive as Britain's first post-Brexit prime minister. His intentions are clear. The UK is thinking beyond Europe. It wants in on the Indo-Pacific and India fits the bill: a massive trading machine with strong regional influence. So, here's a quick round-up of who has visited India. First, the Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin, then Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov. US climate envoy John Kerry and capping the summer will be Boris Johnson. What does this train of foreign leaders symbolise? India's rise, its position of pre-eminence across the board. Just think about the scope. From Delhi, the democratic axis can keep a check on China. They can keenly monitor the Afghan peace process and at the same time, keep an eye on Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. The bottom line is it pays to be a stable and prospering democracy. Who will the world trust to guard the peace in Afghanistan? A country that is one bad week away from a military coup? Or the largest democracy in the world? It's a no-brainer. The world needs New Delhi to ensure ever-lasting peace in Afghanistan but like all partnerships, this is a two-way street. India too needs world powers in its corner, especially in defence. Russia's ties with India were forged over time. It is something America will have to contend with. Take the S-400 missile system for instance. Later this year, India will take delivery of the Russian missiles. This will put New Delhi in America's CAATSA bracket. CAATSA stands for Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. In theory, the US could sanction India, once the Russian missiles arrive but will America actually do so? That's a whole different question. Joe Biden has certain foreign policy pet peeves, such as climate change, the Iran nuclear deal and the Indo-Pacific. He can't achieve any of these without Indian support. So, there is a growing caucus in Washington that wants a sanctions-waiver for India. The CAATSA is supposed to target America's adversaries. Is that really how Joe Biden wants to categorise India? As an adversary? Highly unlikely. The world's interests are converging with india's. These are exciting times in New Delhi's south block. World powers are courting the Indian leadership. Climate, peace, defence, you name it. They want New Delhi on board. If India plays its cards right, the summer of diplomacy could mark the beginning of pax indica, a world order built around India.

The summer of diplomacy has begun for India? 

The French Navy's&nbsp;amphibious assault helicopter carrier Tonnerre and escort frigate Surcouf&nbsp;will arrive at the Indian port of Kochi on Tuesday morning ahead of joint drills with the navies of Quad member countries. The two French ships will make the port call for three days till&nbsp; April 1.

Tonnerre and Surcouf are carrying out a five-month long deployment, which started in February and takes place throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

The port call will come ahead of joint exercises of French ships with Quad vessels. The France-led "La Pérouse" exercise will take place in April in the Bay of Bengal. This time, all the the four Quad members - India, US, Australia and Japan -&nbsp;will take part in it. The first edition of this exercise took place in 2019.

It is for the first time India will be joining France-initiated La Pérouse exercises. The 2019 edition only had US, Australia, and Japan. The exercises have been named after La Pérouse, a French naval officer and explorer from in 18th century.

In late April, France will also have the bilateral 'Varuna'&nbsp;naval exercise with India, which will involve France's aircraft carrier again. The last edition of Varuna exercises took place along the Goa coast in May 2019. That was the 17th edition of this exercise.&nbsp;In 2020, French and Indian Navies carried out their first joint patrol from the French island of La Réunion.

France has been engaging with Quad member countries in various formats. In January, the India-France-Australia trilateral senior officials’ meeting took place. September saw the first foreign secretary-level trilateral dialogue between the three countries.

The French Navy's amphibious assault helicopter carrier Tonnerre and escort frigate Surcouf will arrive at the Indian port of Kochi on Tuesday morning ahead of joint drills with the navies of Quad member countries.

The French Navy's amphibious assault helicopter carrier Tonnerre and escort frigate Surcouf will arrive at the Indian port of Kochi on Tuesday morning ahead of joint drills with the navies of Quad member countries. The two French ships will make the port call for three days till April 1. Tonnerre and Surcouf are carrying out a five-month long deployment, which started in February and takes place throughout the Indo-Pacific region. The port call will come ahead of joint exercises of French ships with Quad vessels. The France-led "La Pérouse" exercise will take place in April in the Bay of Bengal. This time, all the the four Quad members - India, US, Australia and Japan - will take part in it. The first edition of this exercise took place in 2019. It is for the first time India will be joining France-initiated La Pérouse exercises. The 2019 edition only had US, Australia, and Japan. The exercises have been named after La Pérouse, a French naval officer and explorer from in 18th century. In late April, France will also have the bilateral 'Varuna' naval exercise with India, which will involve France's aircraft carrier again. The last edition of Varuna exercises took place along the Goa coast in May 2019. That was the 17th edition of this exercise. In 2020, French and Indian Navies carried out their first joint patrol from the French island of La Réunion. France has been engaging with Quad member countries in various formats. In January, the India-France-Australia trilateral senior officials’ meeting took place. September saw the first foreign secretary-level trilateral dialogue between the three countries.

French ships to make port call at Kochi ahead of joint drills with navies of Quad countries

The&nbsp;Indo-Pacific&nbsp;region has become&nbsp;the geopolitical centre of the world for which several leaders are fighting over.

The location is crucial because it is the merging point of two oceans, that is, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

The geographic region has become&nbsp;the biggest maritime flashpoint of the world.

China claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, which is extremely rich in resources.

The country has been accused by the United States of efforts to "intimidate, coerce and threaten other nations" to control it.

An international tribunal invalidated&nbsp;China's claim to 90 per cent&nbsp;of the&nbsp;South&nbsp;China&nbsp;Sea&nbsp;in 2016, but Beijing does not recognise the ruling.&nbsp;China&nbsp;has built islands in the disputed waters in recent years, putting airstrips on some of them.

Beijing often invokes the so-called nine-dash line to justify its apparent historic rights over most of the South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei.

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin&nbsp;told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he "commended India's leadership role in the&nbsp;Indo-Pacific&nbsp;and growing engagement with like-minded partners across the region to promote shared goals," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

New Delhi has recently shifted&nbsp;its foreign policy focus eastward. Nearly&nbsp;200 billion dollars worth of Indian trade passes through the South China Sea.

Free and open navigation is in India's interest, but&nbsp;Chinese dominance would be disastrous.

The Philippines urged&nbsp;China&nbsp;on Sunday to recall more than 200 Chinese boats it said had been spotted at a reef in the&nbsp;South&nbsp;China&nbsp;Sea, saying the presence of the vessels violated its maritime rights as it claims ownership of the area.

From the&nbsp;British empire in the 16th and 17th centuries to the&nbsp;United States&nbsp;since World War I, maritime superpowers have dominated world politics.

China's&nbsp;unilateral actions have had an unintended effect.&nbsp;It has brought all the regional stakeholders&nbsp;including the Quad&nbsp;together.

The leaders of the United States, India, Australia and Japan - countries together known as the Quad - held the first summit last week pledging to work together for a free and open&nbsp;Indo-Pacific&nbsp;and to cooperate on maritime and cybersecurity in the face of challenges from China.

India has been cultivating its ties in the region as a part of the ''act east'' policy. Its&nbsp;major focus is on the ASEAN grouping.

The ASEAN has 10 member nations.&nbsp;It is among the fastest-growing political unions in the world.

India has opted for mini trade deals. It is mulling&nbsp;a preferential trade arrangement with the Philippines,&nbsp;the third-largest economy in ASEAN.

Despite over 70 years of diplomatic ties -- India and the Philippines do not have close ties. Earlier this month,&nbsp;the two countries&nbsp;signed a major defence deal.

The Philippines will buy the Indian-made Brahmos PJ-10 missiles, the fastest cruise missile in the market. Defence cooperation mostly leads to strategic partnerships.

India and the Philippines are also cooperating on the vaccine front. Manila plans to secure 8 million doses of COVAXIN&nbsp;-- developed by India's Bharat biotech.

India could help the Philippines revive its struggling inoculation campaign.

In December last year - India and Vietnam&nbsp;participated in a two-day military drill

An Indian warship was dispatched to Vietnam to deliver humanitarian aid and the naval drills were organised on its return voyage.

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that the region is ''India's sphere of influence.''

Indians have sailed these waters for more than 1,500 years.

Economically and politically -- India has a lot at stake in the South China Sea.

In the last 40 years -- the Indo-Pacific prospered as a hub of free navigation...

Deterring China's belligerence in the region is key and India could be the bulwark against Beijing.

New Delhi has the economic power, the political clout and the military strength to tackle China on the high seas.

&nbsp;

The Indo-Pacific region has become the geopolitical centre of the world for which several leaders are fighting over. The location is crucial because it is the merging point of two oceans, that is, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

The Indo-Pacific region has become the geopolitical centre of the world for which several leaders are fighting over. The location is crucial because it is the merging point of two oceans, that is, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. The geographic region has become the biggest maritime flashpoint of the world. China claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, which is extremely rich in resources. The country has been accused by the United States of efforts to "intimidate, coerce and threaten other nations" to control it. An international tribunal invalidated China's claim to 90 per cent of the South China Sea in 2016, but Beijing does not recognise the ruling. China has built islands in the disputed waters in recent years, putting airstrips on some of them. Beijing often invokes the so-called nine-dash line to justify its apparent historic rights over most of the South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei. Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he "commended India's leadership role in the Indo-Pacific and growing engagement with like-minded partners across the region to promote shared goals," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said. New Delhi has recently shifted its foreign policy focus eastward. Nearly 200 billion dollars worth of Indian trade passes through the South China Sea. Free and open navigation is in India's interest, but Chinese dominance would be disastrous. The Philippines urged China on Sunday to recall more than 200 Chinese boats it said had been spotted at a reef in the South China Sea, saying the presence of the vessels violated its maritime rights as it claims ownership of the area. From the British empire in the 16th and 17th centuries to the United States since World War I, maritime superpowers have dominated world politics. China's unilateral actions have had an unintended effect. It has brought all the regional stakeholders including the Quad together. The leaders of the United States, India, Australia and Japan - countries together known as the Quad - held the first summit last week pledging to work together for a free and open Indo-Pacific and to cooperate on maritime and cybersecurity in the face of challenges from China. India has been cultivating its ties in the region as a part of the ''act east'' policy. Its major focus is on the ASEAN grouping. The ASEAN has 10 member nations. It is among the fastest-growing political unions in the world. India has opted for mini trade deals. It is mulling a preferential trade arrangement with the Philippines, the third-largest economy in ASEAN. Despite over 70 years of diplomatic ties -- India and the Philippines do not have close ties. Earlier this month, the two countries signed a major defence deal. The Philippines will buy the Indian-made Brahmos PJ-10 missiles, the fastest cruise missile in the market. Defence cooperation mostly leads to strategic partnerships. India and the Philippines are also cooperating on the vaccine front. Manila plans to secure 8 million doses of COVAXIN -- developed by India's Bharat biotech. India could help the Philippines revive its struggling inoculation campaign. In December last year - India and Vietnam participated in a two-day military drill An Indian warship was dispatched to Vietnam to deliver humanitarian aid and the naval drills were organised on its return voyage. Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that the region is ''India's sphere of influence.'' Indians have sailed these waters for more than 1,500 years. Economically and politically -- India has a lot at stake in the South China Sea. In the last 40 years -- the Indo-Pacific prospered as a hub of free navigation... Deterring China's belligerence in the region is key and India could be the bulwark against Beijing. New Delhi has the economic power, the political clout and the military strength to tackle China on the high seas.

What is at stake for India in South China Sea?

Backdrop

The visit of US Secretary of Defence to India, along with Japan and South Korea within a week of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) Summit held on March 12, 2021, indicates a quick follow up.&nbsp;

The Summit did not name China directly, but Beijing seemed nervous and rattled about the event, as its mouthpiece Global times accused Quad members to be hyping the "China threat" before the event and expressed that India will not go US way due to its own ambition and economic dependency on China, after the visit. &nbsp;Apparently, China saw a major challenge to its dream of China-centric Asia-Pacific, in Quad’s call for a free, open, inclusive, healthy, Indo-Pacific region that is "anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion".

China’s hope that the four-country group hasn't formed a cohesive force from within, may need a revisit, after the Quad leaders agreed to give joint statement, committed to holding an in-person leaders' summit by the end of 2021 and agreed to pursue important agendas through three focused working groups.

Benign Agenda but clear Trajectory&nbsp;

Besides unanimity in need for free, open rules-based order, rooted in international law to advance security and prosperity and counter threats to both in the Indo-Pacific, the key agenda which attracted global attention was collective response to COVID-19 pandemic in terms of synergizing the vaccination efforts for humanity, with India as manufacturing hub, assisted by others to roll out one billion vaccines by 2020. The other two issues of working groups being emerging critical technologies and climate change. The agenda seems benign, but Beijing did not miss the connection of freedom of navigation, overflight and the concerns over “aggression” and “coercion” against members of Quad by China in its first summit meeting. No-one during the Summit called out China directly, but China knows that it challenged rule-based order by junking Pemarnent Court of Arbitration’s decision in South China Sea (SCS) and continues to coerce countries in Indo-Pacific region.&nbsp;

The list of shared challenges to be addressed also includes cyberspace, critical technologies, counterterrorism, quality infrastructure investment, and humanitarian-assistance and disaster-relief (HADR), some of which echo Chinese alleged involvement like cyber attacks and transparency of World Health Organization. Quad’s assertion to support the rule of law, freedom of navigation, overflight, democratic values, and territorial integrity has added to frustration of Beijing, which has started firing salvo of propaganda through its mouthpiece Global Times, calling India (the only Non-NATO partner) as “Negative Asset for BRICS and SCO” failing to understand Chinese goodwill! Quad’s announcement of forthcoming naval drills of Quad plus countries and willingness of some NATO members like UK, France and Germany, to join in responding to challenges in Indo-Pacific, has further added to discomfort of China, indicating forward trajectory of Quad.

China overplays Divergences in Quad

China will like the world to believe that there are wide divergences in four democracies getting together, but in the evolution process, Quad seems to be getting over some of them. There is much more acceptability regarding divergent definitions and focus areas within the Indo-Pacific region. With the series of foundational agreements like COMCASA, BECA, LEMOA and CISMOA signed between US and India, and naval exercises, the inter-operability of India with other Quad members, operating within NATO military alliance framework, has improved. The joint statements of defence ministers of US and India on March 20, 2021 indicates convergence in approach and intention to have better defence cooperation between both countries in line with Quad commitments and strategic partnership.&nbsp;

India is the only country amongst Quad members, which has unsettled land border with China. After Doklam and Ladakh standoffs, it’s quite clear to Indians that China can’t be trusted, which has brought relatively better clarity in Indian position. The economic entanglement of each of the Quad members with China necessitates a resilient supply chain, digital and technological ecosystem, with minimal dependence on China. There has been consensus regarding support for ASEAN’s centrality in the Indo-Pacific as well, but their inclusion into it will be a debatable issue, due to Chinese influence over them. China has always tried to deal with every country on bilateral terms, using its Comprehensive National Power (CNP) to its advantage and will continue to do so even with Quad members. &nbsp;

Countering Chinese Challenge?

The ‘Incremental Encroachment Strategy’ of China exhibited in South China Sea, East China Sea (ECS) and Ladakh is a serious concern not only to the countries directly affected by overlapping EEZ or unsettled borders, but also to rest of the world, as China continues to convert features/atolls into military bases, expect others to accept them as islands and apply ‘Baseline principle’ under UNCLOS-III to claim its 200 nautical miles of Exclusive Economic Zone thus converting SCS into ‘Chinese lake’ over a period of time. It poses threat to freedom of navigation (FON) and flight along global Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC) and may lead to some restrictions like Air Defence Identification Zone in South China Sea. Any such action by any country to restrict FON/flight or violation of rule of law must be challenged in UN Security Council backed by Quad. All members of Quad except US have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III); hence US needs to ratify the same, to have a moral high ground to implement it.&nbsp;

China seems reasonably confident that US or any other country will not use military force to dismantle their infrastructure constructed in South China Sea. It is also increasing its naval capability at unprecedented pace. In this context it is necessary that Quad strengthens itself beyond Malabar exercises, gets some teeth in the form of maritime capacity building of its members and capacity to dominate choke points sensitive to China, as it’s not a military alliance so far. Quad will therefore need a formal structure and a secretariat to take it forward.&nbsp;

Way Ahead for Quad

COVID-19 vaccines will be manufactured in India, financed by the US and Japan with logistical support from Australia. The intention of Quad to synergise medical, scientific, financing, manufacturing, critical emerging-technology and developmental capabilities in future, is a step in right direction. Sharing of innovative technology and capacity building for climatic challenges will serve the interest of humanity and make Quad an effective grouping.&nbsp;

Quad members must continue freedom of navigation exercises and military posturing in Indo-Pacific, as China continues to do so. If the strategic situation worsens there may be a need to position ‘UN Maritime Military Observers Group’, as prevention of accidental triggering of conflict is possible in a region having high density of combat ship on Freedom Of Navigation missions. &nbsp;

The Summit did not signal expansion, but it needs to have flexibility to incorporate like-minded democratic countries, as many would be keen to join Quad in future, because Indo-Pacific region is becoming the global economic centre of gravity and manufacturing hub. Support of other navies like France, UK, Germany and other NATO members will be good deterrence to peace spoilers. Quad in its present form may not be structured to check Chinese adventurism, but it seems to be on right trajectory to become one of the most effective instruments to do so. Chinese aggressive reactions during meeting of top officials of US and China indicates that Quad has put China on notice, without even naming it, forcing it to showcase its strong stance to domestic audience behind nervousness.

(The author can be reached at Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+ as Shashi Asthana, @asthana_shashi on twitter, and personnel site -- https://asthanawrites.org. He can also be reached at shashiasthana29@gmail.com)

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Backdrop The visit of US Secretary of Defence to India, along with Japan and South Korea within a week of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) Summit held on March 12, 2021, indicates a quick follow up.

Backdrop The visit of US Secretary of Defence to India, along with Japan and South Korea within a week of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) Summit held on March 12, 2021, indicates a quick follow up. The Summit did not name China directly, but Beijing seemed nervous and rattled about the event, as its mouthpiece Global times accused Quad members to be hyping the "China threat" before the event and expressed that India will not go US way due to its own ambition and economic dependency on China, after the visit. Apparently, China saw a major challenge to its dream of China-centric Asia-Pacific, in Quad’s call for a free, open, inclusive, healthy, Indo-Pacific region that is "anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion". China’s hope that the four-country group hasn't formed a cohesive force from within, may need a revisit, after the Quad leaders agreed to give joint statement, committed to holding an in-person leaders' summit by the end of 2021 and agreed to pursue important agendas through three focused working groups. Benign Agenda but clear Trajectory Besides unanimity in need for free, open rules-based order, rooted in international law to advance security and prosperity and counter threats to both in the Indo-Pacific, the key agenda which attracted global attention was collective response to COVID-19 pandemic in terms of synergizing the vaccination efforts for humanity, with India as manufacturing hub, assisted by others to roll out one billion vaccines by 2020. The other two issues of working groups being emerging critical technologies and climate change. The agenda seems benign, but Beijing did not miss the connection of freedom of navigation, overflight and the concerns over “aggression” and “coercion” against members of Quad by China in its first summit meeting. No-one during the Summit called out China directly, but China knows that it challenged rule-based order by junking Pemarnent Court of Arbitration’s decision in South China Sea (SCS) and continues to coerce countries in Indo-Pacific region. The list of shared challenges to be addressed also includes cyberspace, critical technologies, counterterrorism, quality infrastructure investment, and humanitarian-assistance and disaster-relief (HADR), some of which echo Chinese alleged involvement like cyber attacks and transparency of World Health Organization. Quad’s assertion to support the rule of law, freedom of navigation, overflight, democratic values, and territorial integrity has added to frustration of Beijing, which has started firing salvo of propaganda through its mouthpiece Global Times, calling India (the only Non-NATO partner) as “Negative Asset for BRICS and SCO” failing to understand Chinese goodwill! Quad’s announcement of forthcoming naval drills of Quad plus countries and willingness of some NATO members like UK, France and Germany, to join in responding to challenges in Indo-Pacific, has further added to discomfort of China, indicating forward trajectory of Quad. China overplays Divergences in Quad China will like the world to believe that there are wide divergences in four democracies getting together, but in the evolution process, Quad seems to be getting over some of them. There is much more acceptability regarding divergent definitions and focus areas within the Indo-Pacific region. With the series of foundational agreements like COMCASA, BECA, LEMOA and CISMOA signed between US and India, and naval exercises, the inter-operability of India with other Quad members, operating within NATO military alliance framework, has improved. The joint statements of defence ministers of US and India on March 20, 2021 indicates convergence in approach and intention to have better defence cooperation between both countries in line with Quad commitments and strategic partnership. India is the only country amongst Quad members, which has unsettled land border with China. After Doklam and Ladakh standoffs, it’s quite clear to Indians that China can’t be trusted, which has brought relatively better clarity in Indian position. The economic entanglement of each of the Quad members with China necessitates a resilient supply chain, digital and technological ecosystem, with minimal dependence on China. There has been consensus regarding support for ASEAN’s centrality in the Indo-Pacific as well, but their inclusion into it will be a debatable issue, due to Chinese influence over them. China has always tried to deal with every country on bilateral terms, using its Comprehensive National Power (CNP) to its advantage and will continue to do so even with Quad members. Countering Chinese Challenge? The ‘Incremental Encroachment Strategy’ of China exhibited in South China Sea, East China Sea (ECS) and Ladakh is a serious concern not only to the countries directly affected by overlapping EEZ or unsettled borders, but also to rest of the world, as China continues to convert features/atolls into military bases, expect others to accept them as islands and apply ‘Baseline principle’ under UNCLOS-III to claim its 200 nautical miles of Exclusive Economic Zone thus converting SCS into ‘Chinese lake’ over a period of time. It poses threat to freedom of navigation (FON) and flight along global Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC) and may lead to some restrictions like Air Defence Identification Zone in South China Sea. Any such action by any country to restrict FON/flight or violation of rule of law must be challenged in UN Security Council backed by Quad. All members of Quad except US have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III); hence US needs to ratify the same, to have a moral high ground to implement it. China seems reasonably confident that US or any other country will not use military force to dismantle their infrastructure constructed in South China Sea. It is also increasing its naval capability at unprecedented pace. In this context it is necessary that Quad strengthens itself beyond Malabar exercises, gets some teeth in the form of maritime capacity building of its members and capacity to dominate choke points sensitive to China, as it’s not a military alliance so far. Quad will therefore need a formal structure and a secretariat to take it forward. Way Ahead for Quad COVID-19 vaccines will be manufactured in India, financed by the US and Japan with logistical support from Australia. The intention of Quad to synergise medical, scientific, financing, manufacturing, critical emerging-technology and developmental capabilities in future, is a step in right direction. Sharing of innovative technology and capacity building for climatic challenges will serve the interest of humanity and make Quad an effective grouping. Quad members must continue freedom of navigation exercises and military posturing in Indo-Pacific, as China continues to do so. If the strategic situation worsens there may be a need to position ‘UN Maritime Military Observers Group’, as prevention of accidental triggering of conflict is possible in a region having high density of combat ship on Freedom Of Navigation missions. The Summit did not signal expansion, but it needs to have flexibility to incorporate like-minded democratic countries, as many would be keen to join Quad in future, because Indo-Pacific region is becoming the global economic centre of gravity and manufacturing hub. Support of other navies like France, UK, Germany and other NATO members will be good deterrence to peace spoilers. Quad in its present form may not be structured to check Chinese adventurism, but it seems to be on right trajectory to become one of the most effective instruments to do so. Chinese aggressive reactions during meeting of top officials of US and China indicates that Quad has put China on notice, without even naming it, forcing it to showcase its strong stance to domestic audience behind nervousness. (The author can be reached at Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+ as Shashi Asthana, @asthana_shashi on twitter, and personnel site -- https://asthanawrites.org. He can also be reached at shashiasthana29@gmail.com) (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Opinion: Quad Summit's forward trajectory disturbs China

US&nbsp;Defence Secretary Lloyd&nbsp;Austin&nbsp;arrived in New Delhi on Friday&nbsp;to deepen ties between India and United States.

Austin&nbsp;is making the first visit by a top member of the United States President, Joe Biden administration to Delhi as part of efforts to ally with countries seeking to push back against China's assertiveness in the region.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-secretary-of-defence-lloyd-austin-arrives-in-india-371698" hreflang="en">US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin arrives in India, meets PM Modi</a>

During&nbsp;Austin's visit, the two sides will be discussing India's plan to purchase armed drones from the United States as well as a large order for over 150 combat jets for the air force and the navy to help narrow the gap with China.

The leaders of the United States, India, Australia and Japan,&nbsp;together known as the Quad, held the first summit last week pledging to work together for a free and open Indo-Pacific and to cooperate on maritime and cybersecurity in the face of challenges from China.

Austin's visit to India's comes a week after the first virtual summit of the Quad. India is a crucial part of the group and for America's Indo-Pacific plans.

What's the Indo-Pacific?

It is the maritime space between the Indian ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.&nbsp;This region is being called ''the geopolitical centre of the world.''

It is witnessing a rise in Chinese aggression, the growing interest of western nations and&nbsp;the realisation of India's indispensability.

The UK recently said- India is an increasingly indispensable partner. Johnson's government said it would "tilt" its focus towards the Indo-Pacific region as part of its Integrated Review of government policy for the coming years, saying the area increasingly represented the geopolitical centre of the world.

India and the United States&nbsp;share a common strategic vision, that is,&nbsp;'free, open and inclusive'' Indo-Pacific and both understand the true nature of China's challenge.

The US views India's emergence on the global stage as a counter to China.

The US State Department said it&nbsp;supports ''India's emergence as a leading global power and vital partner in efforts to ensure that the Indo-pacific is a region of peace, stability, and growing prosperity.'

The two countries are defence partners, The US designated India as ''major defence partner'' in 2016 and signed the LEMOA (Logistics Exchange Memorandum Agreement). Through it,&nbsp;America and India can now use each other's bases for repair and replenishment of supplies.

In 2018, India and the US signed the COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) which provides inter-operability between two&nbsp;militaries and ensure smooth cooperation between the countries tech and equipment.&nbsp;

In October 2020, India and the US signed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) to&nbsp;boost bilateral defence ties.

Both India and the United States have a&nbsp;common challenge, China.&nbsp;

India drew closer to the United States following its own tensions with China on their disputed Himalayan border, where deadly clashes erupted last year. Washington has helped New Delhi, leasing surveillance drones and supplying cold-weather gear for Indian troops.

India and the United States share common values. The US&nbsp;Department of State said, ''The US-India partnership is founded on a shared commitment to freedom, democratic principles, equal treatment of all citizens, human rights, and the rule of law.''

It also said, ''The United States and India have shared interests in promoting global security, stability, and economic prosperity through trade, investment, and connectivity.''

Unlike former US President Donald Trump, Joe Biden does not have a 'go-it-alone' policy. Biden wants to adopt a multilateral approach in tackling china.

The Biden administration recently released its national security blueprint. It was called the ''interim national security strategic guidance.''

It said, ''We will deepen our partnership with India to advance shared objectives.''

The Quad summit&nbsp;laid the groundwork for the&nbsp;strategic partnership between the US and India in the&nbsp;Indo-Pacific.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in New Delhi on Friday to deepen ties between India and United States. Austin is making the first visit by a top member of the United States President, Joe Biden administration to Delhi as part of efforts to ally with countries seeking to push back against China's assertiveness in the region.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in New Delhi on Friday to deepen ties between India and United States. Austin is making the first visit by a top member of the United States President, Joe Biden administration to Delhi as part of efforts to ally with countries seeking to push back against China's assertiveness in the region. Also read| US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin arrives in India, meets PM Modi During Austin's visit, the two sides will be discussing India's plan to purchase armed drones from the United States as well as a large order for over 150 combat jets for the air force and the navy to help narrow the gap with China. The leaders of the United States, India, Australia and Japan, together known as the Quad, held the first summit last week pledging to work together for a free and open Indo-Pacific and to cooperate on maritime and cybersecurity in the face of challenges from China. Austin's visit to India's comes a week after the first virtual summit of the Quad. India is a crucial part of the group and for America's Indo-Pacific plans. What's the Indo-Pacific? It is the maritime space between the Indian ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. This region is being called ''the geopolitical centre of the world.'' It is witnessing a rise in Chinese aggression, the growing interest of western nations and the realisation of India's indispensability. The UK recently said- India is an increasingly indispensable partner. Johnson's government said it would "tilt" its focus towards the Indo-Pacific region as part of its Integrated Review of government policy for the coming years, saying the area increasingly represented the geopolitical centre of the world. India and the United States share a common strategic vision, that is, 'free, open and inclusive'' Indo-Pacific and both understand the true nature of China's challenge. The US views India's emergence on the global stage as a counter to China. The US State Department said it supports ''India's emergence as a leading global power and vital partner in efforts to ensure that the Indo-pacific is a region of peace, stability, and growing prosperity.' The two countries are defence partners, The US designated India as ''major defence partner'' in 2016 and signed the LEMOA (Logistics Exchange Memorandum Agreement). Through it, America and India can now use each other's bases for repair and replenishment of supplies. In 2018, India and the US signed the COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) which provides inter-operability between two militaries and ensure smooth cooperation between the countries tech and equipment. In October 2020, India and the US signed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) to boost bilateral defence ties. Both India and the United States have a common challenge, China. India drew closer to the United States following its own tensions with China on their disputed Himalayan border, where deadly clashes erupted last year. Washington has helped New Delhi, leasing surveillance drones and supplying cold-weather gear for Indian troops. India and the United States share common values. The US Department of State said, ''The US-India partnership is founded on a shared commitment to freedom, democratic principles, equal treatment of all citizens, human rights, and the rule of law.'' It also said, ''The United States and India have shared interests in promoting global security, stability, and economic prosperity through trade, investment, and connectivity.'' Unlike former US President Donald Trump, Joe Biden does not have a 'go-it-alone' policy. Biden wants to adopt a multilateral approach in tackling china. The Biden administration recently released its national security blueprint. It was called the ''interim national security strategic guidance.'' It said, ''We will deepen our partnership with India to advance shared objectives.'' The Quad summit laid the groundwork for the strategic partnership between the US and India in the Indo-Pacific.

Why is India crucial to America's Indo-Pacific policy?

Two ambitions lie at the center of President Joe Biden’s foreign policy agenda: rebuilding ties with frustrated allies and assembling a united front on China.

This week, he is attempting both as he dispatches two of his most senior envoys to Japan and South Korea in his administration’s highest-level foreign travel since it took office in January.

The visits to the United States’ strongest partners in East Asia are a prelude to the Biden administration’s opening round of face-to-face contact with Beijing. One of the envoys, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, will travel on to Alaska and join Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, in a meeting with China’s two top diplomats.

The administration sees the gathering as a chance to establish ground rules and set red lines for a relationship that Blinken has called “the biggest geopolitical test of the 21st century.” U.S. officials have described it as “a one-off session” to identify issues where Washington can work with Beijing — and then “lay out, in very frank terms, the many concerns that we have,” Blinken told Congress last week.

The flurry of diplomacy, which began Friday with a virtual summit with the U.S.’s so-called Quad allies — Australia, India and Japan — establishes the Asia-Pacific as a top priority for the Biden administration after Barack Obama’s halting “pivot” to Asia and Donald Trump’s bluntly transactional approach to alliances in the region.

The dialogue with allies less than two months into the new administration also underlines the president’s goal of shoring up international partnerships to face down adversaries and, in turn, further U.S. interests.

“The more China hears, not just our opprobrium, but a course of opprobrium from around the world, the better the chance that we’ll get some changes,” Blinken told a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing in Washington last week.

It will not be easy. China, having brought the coronavirus to heel early in the pandemic, has only bolstered its economic position as rivals in the West struggle to recover. And militarily it has narrowed the gap with the United States through huge investments. Those strengths have helped embolden China on the global stage.

Even as Washington tries to chart a new, if still wary, relationship with Beijing, U.S. officials on Friday downplayed the notion that China would overshadow the three days of discussions in Tokyo and Seoul. Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III are expected to discuss a range of subjects, including the pandemic, climate change and the large U.S. troop presence in the region.

Relations between Japan and South Korea, which have reached a low point over historical disputes, are likely to be a topic of conversation. Also on the agenda will be the month-old military coup in Myanmar and North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, which remain firmly in place after the Trump administration’s failed flirtation with the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un.

The decision to make Japan the first destination for Blinken and Austin was seen as a significant and reassuring development in Tokyo, which worked hard to maintain close ties with Trump even as he demanded huge increases in payments to keep U.S. troops in the country. On Friday, the White House announced that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga would be the first foreign leader to meet with Biden in Washington.

“At the end of the Trump administration, with regard to Asia, we were bickering with our allies over how much to pay for the cost sharing in terms of defense,” said Victor Cha, who oversaw Asia policy at the White House during the George W. Bush administration and advises the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “We had a very unilateral view when it came to alliances as a nation, almost a disdainful view with regard to them.”

“At the same time,” Cha said, “China was using its economic leverage all around the region to bully other countries.”

The Trump administration took an often contradictory approach toward China. Trump often flattered its authoritarian leader, Xi Jinping, as he tried to strike trade deals. At the same time, his administration criticized Beijing’s human rights abuses, military and cyberspace incursions, and assaults on democracy.

The Biden administration’s strategy could prove just as dizzying. Blinken has described seeking a relationship that is based at once on cooperation, competition and, as needed, confrontation with China.

To make it work, the United States is banking on backup from allies like Japan and South Korea. Both countries have tried to walk a fine line on China: Their prosperity depends on trade with Beijing, but they break with China on matters of security, democracy and human rights.

Tokyo has grown more vocal as the Chinese military has made incursions around islands that Japan administers in the East China Sea, known in Japan as the Senkakus and in China as the Diaoyu. Seoul has used its temperate relations with Beijing as a pressure tactic against North Korea, which depends on China to keep its economy afloat.

For their part, China’s leaders have said they are eager to get the relationship with the United States back on an even keel. Some analysts have warned that any steps toward a detente could just buy China more time to develop technological and military capabilities before a diplomatic breakdown.

“As two countries with different social systems, China and the United States naturally have differences and disagreements,” Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, said at a news conference in Beijing on March 7. Wang and Yang Jiechi, China’s top diplomat, will be meeting with Blinken in Alaska.

Wang called it normal to have a “healthy competition on a fair and just basis for the purpose of self-improvement and mutual enhancement, rather than finger-pointing or zero-sum competition.”

Yet Chinese leaders also appear concerned about the Biden strategy of rallying allies into a coherent bloc against China, something that could hurt Beijing politically and economically. Last week, for example, the Quad countries announced an effort to ship coronavirus vaccines to Southeast Asia, countering China’s own efforts at so-called vaccine diplomacy.

Wang cited the pandemic, the economic recovery from it and climate change as areas where China and the United States could cooperate, though he provided no details. But he said that the United States and others had no right to interfere in what he described as internal matters — human rights abuses against ethnic Uighurs in China’s western Xinjiang region, efforts to subvert democracy in Hong Kong and surveillance and repression in Tibet.

He also drew a “red line” on the question of Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island that Beijing claims as an inalienable part of a greater China.

Days later, a U.S. destroyer passed through the Taiwan Strait. The United States describes such voyages as routine, but they are seen as hostile by China. It was the third since Biden came into office, signaling support of Taiwan.

While Japanese officials are sure to seek assurances from Austin that the U.S. military would come to Japan’s aid in the event of a conflict with China over the Senkaku Islands, his time in Seoul is expected to be consumed with the question of whether to resume regular large-scale military exercises with South Korea, which Trump abruptly canceled.

Last week, the two countries reached a cost-sharing agreement for stationing U.S. troops in South Korea, a presence that Trump had also threatened to end.

After the meetings in Tokyo and Seoul, Austin will travel to India, which is at its lowest point in relations with China in decades after a deadly border incursion last summer. Blinken will arrive in Alaska on Thursday for the meeting with the Chinese envoys.

As he wished Blinken luck for the talks, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, warned that “we cannot treat them as a normal adversary.”

“We are truly in an ideological struggle fighting for democracy against authoritarianism and promoting freedom over oppression,” McCaul said. He added that the United States had for four decades “turned a blind eye” to China’s ruling Communist Party in hopes of persuading its leaders to follow international norms.

“Unfortunately, it just didn’t work,” McCaul said.

Two ambitions lie at the center of President Joe Biden’s foreign policy agenda: rebuilding ties with frustrated allies and assembling a united front on China. This week, he is attempting both as he dispatches two of his most senior envoys to Japan and South Korea in his administration’s highest-level foreign travel since it took office in January.

Two ambitions lie at the center of President Joe Biden’s foreign policy agenda: rebuilding ties with frustrated allies and assembling a united front on China. This week, he is attempting both as he dispatches two of his most senior envoys to Japan and South Korea in his administration’s highest-level foreign travel since it took office in January. The visits to the United States’ strongest partners in East Asia are a prelude to the Biden administration’s opening round of face-to-face contact with Beijing. One of the envoys, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, will travel on to Alaska and join Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, in a meeting with China’s two top diplomats. The administration sees the gathering as a chance to establish ground rules and set red lines for a relationship that Blinken has called “the biggest geopolitical test of the 21st century.” U.S. officials have described it as “a one-off session” to identify issues where Washington can work with Beijing — and then “lay out, in very frank terms, the many concerns that we have,” Blinken told Congress last week. The flurry of diplomacy, which began Friday with a virtual summit with the U.S.’s so-called Quad allies — Australia, India and Japan — establishes the Asia-Pacific as a top priority for the Biden administration after Barack Obama’s halting “pivot” to Asia and Donald Trump’s bluntly transactional approach to alliances in the region. The dialogue with allies less than two months into the new administration also underlines the president’s goal of shoring up international partnerships to face down adversaries and, in turn, further U.S. interests. “The more China hears, not just our opprobrium, but a course of opprobrium from around the world, the better the chance that we’ll get some changes,” Blinken told a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing in Washington last week. It will not be easy. China, having brought the coronavirus to heel early in the pandemic, has only bolstered its economic position as rivals in the West struggle to recover. And militarily it has narrowed the gap with the United States through huge investments. Those strengths have helped embolden China on the global stage. Even as Washington tries to chart a new, if still wary, relationship with Beijing, U.S. officials on Friday downplayed the notion that China would overshadow the three days of discussions in Tokyo and Seoul. Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III are expected to discuss a range of subjects, including the pandemic, climate change and the large U.S. troop presence in the region. Relations between Japan and South Korea, which have reached a low point over historical disputes, are likely to be a topic of conversation. Also on the agenda will be the month-old military coup in Myanmar and North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, which remain firmly in place after the Trump administration’s failed flirtation with the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un. The decision to make Japan the first destination for Blinken and Austin was seen as a significant and reassuring development in Tokyo, which worked hard to maintain close ties with Trump even as he demanded huge increases in payments to keep U.S. troops in the country. On Friday, the White House announced that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga would be the first foreign leader to meet with Biden in Washington. “At the end of the Trump administration, with regard to Asia, we were bickering with our allies over how much to pay for the cost sharing in terms of defense,” said Victor Cha, who oversaw Asia policy at the White House during the George W. Bush administration and advises the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “We had a very unilateral view when it came to alliances as a nation, almost a disdainful view with regard to them.” “At the same time,” Cha said, “China was using its economic leverage all around the region to bully other countries.” The Trump administration took an often contradictory approach toward China. Trump often flattered its authoritarian leader, Xi Jinping, as he tried to strike trade deals. At the same time, his administration criticized Beijing’s human rights abuses, military and cyberspace incursions, and assaults on democracy. The Biden administration’s strategy could prove just as dizzying. Blinken has described seeking a relationship that is based at once on cooperation, competition and, as needed, confrontation with China. To make it work, the United States is banking on backup from allies like Japan and South Korea. Both countries have tried to walk a fine line on China: Their prosperity depends on trade with Beijing, but they break with China on matters of security, democracy and human rights. Tokyo has grown more vocal as the Chinese military has made incursions around islands that Japan administers in the East China Sea, known in Japan as the Senkakus and in China as the Diaoyu. Seoul has used its temperate relations with Beijing as a pressure tactic against North Korea, which depends on China to keep its economy afloat. For their part, China’s leaders have said they are eager to get the relationship with the United States back on an even keel. Some analysts have warned that any steps toward a detente could just buy China more time to develop technological and military capabilities before a diplomatic breakdown. “As two countries with different social systems, China and the United States naturally have differences and disagreements,” Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, said at a news conference in Beijing on March 7. Wang and Yang Jiechi, China’s top diplomat, will be meeting with Blinken in Alaska. Wang called it normal to have a “healthy competition on a fair and just basis for the purpose of self-improvement and mutual enhancement, rather than finger-pointing or zero-sum competition.” Yet Chinese leaders also appear concerned about the Biden strategy of rallying allies into a coherent bloc against China, something that could hurt Beijing politically and economically. Last week, for example, the Quad countries announced an effort to ship coronavirus vaccines to Southeast Asia, countering China’s own efforts at so-called vaccine diplomacy. Wang cited the pandemic, the economic recovery from it and climate change as areas where China and the United States could cooperate, though he provided no details. But he said that the United States and others had no right to interfere in what he described as internal matters — human rights abuses against ethnic Uighurs in China’s western Xinjiang region, efforts to subvert democracy in Hong Kong and surveillance and repression in Tibet. He also drew a “red line” on the question of Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island that Beijing claims as an inalienable part of a greater China. Days later, a U.S. destroyer passed through the Taiwan Strait. The United States describes such voyages as routine, but they are seen as hostile by China. It was the third since Biden came into office, signaling support of Taiwan. While Japanese officials are sure to seek assurances from Austin that the U.S. military would come to Japan’s aid in the event of a conflict with China over the Senkaku Islands, his time in Seoul is expected to be consumed with the question of whether to resume regular large-scale military exercises with South Korea, which Trump abruptly canceled. Last week, the two countries reached a cost-sharing agreement for stationing U.S. troops in South Korea, a presence that Trump had also threatened to end. After the meetings in Tokyo and Seoul, Austin will travel to India, which is at its lowest point in relations with China in decades after a deadly border incursion last summer. Blinken will arrive in Alaska on Thursday for the meeting with the Chinese envoys. As he wished Blinken luck for the talks, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, warned that “we cannot treat them as a normal adversary.” “We are truly in an ideological struggle fighting for democracy against authoritarianism and promoting freedom over oppression,” McCaul said. He added that the United States had for four decades “turned a blind eye” to China’s ruling Communist Party in hopes of persuading its leaders to follow international norms. “Unfortunately, it just didn’t work,” McCaul said.

Biden goals converge in Asia: Rebuilding alliances and countering China

China on Monday said&nbsp;that no "exclusive cliques" should be formed as it accused some countries of trying to "drive a wedge" among regional nations referring to the&nbsp;first virtual Quad summit.

The&nbsp;United States, India, Australia and Japan held their first virtual summit on Friday during which President Joe Biden told leaders of the coalition that a "free and open" Indo-Pacific is essential to their countries and vowed that his country was committed to working with its partners and allies in the region to achieve stability.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-secretary-of-state-defence-secretary-arrive-in-japan-for-china-focused-talks-370659" hreflang="en">US secretary of state, defence secretary makes overseas debut with Japan visit</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the virtual summit alongside Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

"Relevant countries should abandon the Cold War mentality and ideological bias, do not form exclusive cliques and act in a way conducive to solidarity, unity, regional peace and stability," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here.

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He was answering a question about the first Leaders' Summit of the Quad countries and the reported remarks by US National Secretary Advisor Jake Sullivan that the four leaders discussed the challenge posed by China and said all four believed the democracies could help compete with autocracy.

"For some time, some countries have been exaggerating the so-called 'China threat'.&nbsp;China challenges to drive a wedge among regional countries to sow discord between their relations with China,''&nbsp;Zhao said.

&nbsp;"The state-to-state exchanges and cooperation should be conducive for improving mutual understanding and trust among the countries and should not be targeted against and undermine the interests of third parties," he said.

Zhao also reacted angrily to reported remarks by US Defence Secretary Lloyd J. Austin that the goal of the US and its key allies is to ensure that they have the capabilities, operational plans and concepts to offer credible deterrence to China or anybody else who wants to take on America.

"In the era of globalisation, the practice of forming cliques against specific countries based on ideology is detrimental to the international order," Zhao said. "They will gain no support and end up nowhere," he said. 
"The US should adopt the right mindset, view China and China-US relations in an objective and rational way, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, work with China, focus on cooperation and manage differences to bring China-US relations back on track for sound and stable development,''&nbsp;he said.

He said China has been promoting world peace and contributing to the development and defending the international order.

"A growing China would only mean a greater strength for peace. It is an opportunity rather than a challenge to the world. China firmly upholds the international system with the UN at its core and international order based on international law rather than the international order defined by certain countries to save their hegemony," he said.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin will visit India this week along with Japan and South Korea, in the first overseas trip of a senior member of the new Biden Administration.

China on Monday said that no "exclusive cliques" should be formed as it accused some countries of trying to "drive a wedge" among regional nations referring to the first virtual Quad summit.

China on Monday said that no "exclusive cliques" should be formed as it accused some countries of trying to "drive a wedge" among regional nations referring to the first virtual Quad summit. The United States, India, Australia and Japan held their first virtual summit on Friday during which President Joe Biden told leaders of the coalition that a "free and open" Indo-Pacific is essential to their countries and vowed that his country was committed to working with its partners and allies in the region to achieve stability. Also read: US secretary of state, defence secretary makes overseas debut with Japan visit Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the virtual summit alongside Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. "Relevant countries should abandon the Cold War mentality and ideological bias, do not form exclusive cliques and act in a way conducive to solidarity, unity, regional peace and stability," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here. He was answering a question about the first Leaders' Summit of the Quad countries and the reported remarks by US National Secretary Advisor Jake Sullivan that the four leaders discussed the challenge posed by China and said all four believed the democracies could help compete with autocracy. "For some time, some countries have been exaggerating the so-called 'China threat'. China challenges to drive a wedge among regional countries to sow discord between their relations with China,'' Zhao said. "The state-to-state exchanges and cooperation should be conducive for improving mutual understanding and trust among the countries and should not be targeted against and undermine the interests of third parties," he said. Zhao also reacted angrily to reported remarks by US Defence Secretary Lloyd J. Austin that the goal of the US and its key allies is to ensure that they have the capabilities, operational plans and concepts to offer credible deterrence to China or anybody else who wants to take on America. "In the era of globalisation, the practice of forming cliques against specific countries based on ideology is detrimental to the international order," Zhao said. "They will gain no support and end up nowhere," he said. "The US should adopt the right mindset, view China and China-US relations in an objective and rational way, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, work with China, focus on cooperation and manage differences to bring China-US relations back on track for sound and stable development,'' he said. He said China has been promoting world peace and contributing to the development and defending the international order. "A growing China would only mean a greater strength for peace. It is an opportunity rather than a challenge to the world. China firmly upholds the international system with the UN at its core and international order based on international law rather than the international order defined by certain countries to save their hegemony," he said. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin will visit India this week along with Japan and South Korea, in the first overseas trip of a senior member of the new Biden Administration.

After Quad summit, China says no 'exclusive cliques' should be formed

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin landed in Tokyo on Monday, starting a four-day visit to the region,&nbsp;highlighting Washington's renewed focus on alliances in Indo-Pacific in the face of assertive China.

Blinken and Austin will meet Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi in what is known as the 2+2 talks.

The U.S. And others share the values and principles of keeping an open Indo-Pacific region, but China is ''all too willing to use coercion to get its way,''&nbsp;the two ministers said.

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The visit, from March 15 to 18, to Tokyo and Seoul is the first overseas trip by top cabinet members of President Joe Biden's administration and follows last week's Quad alliance summit of the leaders of the US, Japan, Australia and India.

Issues on the agenda range from freedom of navigation in the South and East China Seas and semiconductor supply-chain security to the North Korean nuclear issue and a military coup in Myanmar, experts say.

The Quad summit pledged to work to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific, a major priority for Tokyo, and cooperate on maritime, cyber and economic security in the face of challenges from Beijing.

"The most important thing that's going to happen on this trip is that Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin are making Japan and Korea (and India for Secretary Austin) the first steps on their first trip to the region," said Brian Harding, a Southeast Asia expert at the U.S. Institute of Peace.

"So, by touching down in Tokyo, in a lot of ways, it'll already be successful, and sends an incredibly powerful signal about the priorities of this administration."

Analysts also expect Tokyo to seek U.S. support for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and follow-up talks on other subjects that figured at the Quad summit, such as the commitment to boost COVID-19 vaccine supplies in Asia and climate change.

The secretaries are expected to make a courtesy call on Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is set to visit the White House as the first foreign leader to meet Biden in April.

The US&nbsp;will ''lead with diplomacy, maintain America's military might and renew our alliances and ensure they're fit for purpose to address the threats and opportunities of our time," Blinken and Austin wrote. Together they can hold China accountable for its human rights abuses and other problems in Xinjiang and Tibet, as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan, they said.

Japan and the US&nbsp;Are also expected to reaffirm the importance of their three-way alliance with South Korea and may touch on the strained relations between Tokyo and Seoul over wartime compensation issues.

In a move meant to signal his intention for the US&nbsp;to return to more engagement in the Asia-Pacific region, Biden on Friday held a first summit of the leaders from Australia, Japan, India and the U.S. Known as the ''Quad''&nbsp;virtually and emphasised Washington's commitment to the region.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin landed in Tokyo on Monday, starting a four-day visit to the region, highlighting Washington's renewed focus on alliances in Indo-Pacific in the face of assertive China.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin landed in Tokyo on Monday, starting a four-day visit to the region, highlighting Washington's renewed focus on alliances in Indo-Pacific in the face of assertive China. Blinken and Austin will meet Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi in what is known as the 2+2 talks. The U.S. And others share the values and principles of keeping an open Indo-Pacific region, but China is ''all too willing to use coercion to get its way,'' the two ministers said. The visit, from March 15 to 18, to Tokyo and Seoul is the first overseas trip by top cabinet members of President Joe Biden's administration and follows last week's Quad alliance summit of the leaders of the US, Japan, Australia and India. Issues on the agenda range from freedom of navigation in the South and East China Seas and semiconductor supply-chain security to the North Korean nuclear issue and a military coup in Myanmar, experts say. The Quad summit pledged to work to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific, a major priority for Tokyo, and cooperate on maritime, cyber and economic security in the face of challenges from Beijing. "The most important thing that's going to happen on this trip is that Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin are making Japan and Korea (and India for Secretary Austin) the first steps on their first trip to the region," said Brian Harding, a Southeast Asia expert at the U.S. Institute of Peace. "So, by touching down in Tokyo, in a lot of ways, it'll already be successful, and sends an incredibly powerful signal about the priorities of this administration." Analysts also expect Tokyo to seek U.S. support for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and follow-up talks on other subjects that figured at the Quad summit, such as the commitment to boost COVID-19 vaccine supplies in Asia and climate change. The secretaries are expected to make a courtesy call on Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is set to visit the White House as the first foreign leader to meet Biden in April. The US will ''lead with diplomacy, maintain America's military might and renew our alliances and ensure they're fit for purpose to address the threats and opportunities of our time," Blinken and Austin wrote. Together they can hold China accountable for its human rights abuses and other problems in Xinjiang and Tibet, as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan, they said. Japan and the US Are also expected to reaffirm the importance of their three-way alliance with South Korea and may touch on the strained relations between Tokyo and Seoul over wartime compensation issues. In a move meant to signal his intention for the US to return to more engagement in the Asia-Pacific region, Biden on Friday held a first summit of the leaders from Australia, Japan, India and the U.S. Known as the ''Quad'' virtually and emphasised Washington's commitment to the region.

US secretary of state, defence secretary arrive in Japan for China-focused talks

The leaders of the Quad countries -- India, Australia, Japan and the United States -- have pledged to work with other countries who share the same goals, and to ensure that Covid vaccines are administered throughout the region till 2022. They also reiterated their commitment to a free and secure Indo-Pacific region.

The Quad, a strategic forum comprising India, Japan, Australia and the United States of America, held its first-ever head of states meet virtually on Friday.

In a jointly-authored opinion article for The Washington Post, US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, wrote that "the Quad" was born in crisis. It became a diplomatic dialogue in 2007 and was reborn in 2017.

“Over the course of these past months, each of us has grieved the suffering that our people and the world have endured. But in this dark hour, our partnership offers a spark of hope to light the path ahead,” the leaders wrote in the joint Op-Ed published in the Washington Post.

"Against this backdrop, we are recommitting to a shared vision for an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, resilient and inclusive. We are striving to ensure that the Indo-Pacific is accessible and dynamic, governed by international law and bedrock principles such as freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes and that all countries are able to make their own political choices, free from coercion. In recent years, that vision has increasingly been tested," they added.

The article listed the announcements made on Friday, and much of what appeared in the joint statement and the fact sheet that were released after the summit.&nbsp;

The group also recalled the history of the grouping from being founded in the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami and being turned into a dialogue in 2007 to being reborn in 2017.

The four leaders said that the trials have only strengthened "our resolve" to reckon with the most urgent of global challenges together.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/g7-meet-in-uk-could-witness-first-in-person-quad-meet-370276">Also read |&nbsp;G7 meet in UK could witness first in-person Quad meet</a>

"To strengthen our quest for a region that is open and free, we have agreed to partner to address the challenges presented by new technologies and collaborate to set the norms and standards that govern the innovations of the future. It is clear that climate change is both a strategic priority and an urgent global challenge, including for the Indo-Pacific region," the leaders' op-ed read further adding that the four countries would work together and with others to strengthen the Paris agreement and enhance the climate actions of all nations.

Launching the "ambitious efforts" to help end the Covid pandemic, the countries pledged "to expand and accelerate production" in India of safe, accessible and effective vaccines.

"We will partner at each stage to ensure that vaccines are administered throughout the Indo-Pacific region into 2022. We will combine our scientific ingenuity, financing, formidable productive capacity and long history of global-health partnership to surge the supply of life-saving vaccines, in close collaboration with multilateral organisations including the World Health Organisation and Covax Facility," the leaders wrote."We will renew and strengthen our partnerships in Southeast Asia, starting with the Association for Southeast Asian Nations, work with the Pacific Islands, and engage the Indian Ocean region to meet this moment.&nbsp;

"The Quad is a flexible group of like-minded partners dedicated to advancing a common vision and to ensuring peace and prosperity. We welcome and will seek opportunities to work with all of those who share in those goals," the article read.

The leaders stated that the four countries' foundations of democracy and a commitment to engagement "unite us".

"We know we can provide for the safety and prosperity of our people at home by confronting global crises together, with purpose and resolve. We summon from tragedy the strength and resilience to unify and overcome. And we recommit ourselves, once again, to an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, secure and prosperous," the leaders wrote.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/quad-member-countries-to-be-part-of-france-led-joint-exercises-370267">Also read |&nbsp;QUAD member countries to be part of France-led joint exercises</a>

Indo-Pacific region is largely viewed as an area comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.China`s territorial claims in the South China Sea and its efforts to advance into the Indian Ocean are seen to have challenged the established rules-based system.

China claims much of the South China Sea, but there are also overlapping claims by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

China has built bases and other outposts on shoals, reefs and rock outcroppings to deepen its claim over 80 per cent of the 3.6 sq km waterway, with Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan claim parts of the same area. 
&nbsp;

The leaders of the Quad countries -- India, Australia, Japan and the United States -- have pledged to work with other countries who share the same goals, and to ensure that Covid vaccines are administered throughout the region till 2022.

The leaders of the Quad countries -- India, Australia, Japan and the United States -- have pledged to work with other countries who share the same goals, and to ensure that Covid vaccines are administered throughout the region till 2022. They also reiterated their commitment to a free and secure Indo-Pacific region. The Quad, a strategic forum comprising India, Japan, Australia and the United States of America, held its first-ever head of states meet virtually on Friday. In a jointly-authored opinion article for The Washington Post, US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, wrote that "the Quad" was born in crisis. It became a diplomatic dialogue in 2007 and was reborn in 2017. “Over the course of these past months, each of us has grieved the suffering that our people and the world have endured. But in this dark hour, our partnership offers a spark of hope to light the path ahead,” the leaders wrote in the joint Op-Ed published in the Washington Post. "Against this backdrop, we are recommitting to a shared vision for an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, resilient and inclusive. We are striving to ensure that the Indo-Pacific is accessible and dynamic, governed by international law and bedrock principles such as freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes and that all countries are able to make their own political choices, free from coercion. In recent years, that vision has increasingly been tested," they added. The article listed the announcements made on Friday, and much of what appeared in the joint statement and the fact sheet that were released after the summit. The group also recalled the history of the grouping from being founded in the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami and being turned into a dialogue in 2007 to being reborn in 2017. The four leaders said that the trials have only strengthened "our resolve" to reckon with the most urgent of global challenges together. Also read | G7 meet in UK could witness first in-person Quad meet "To strengthen our quest for a region that is open and free, we have agreed to partner to address the challenges presented by new technologies and collaborate to set the norms and standards that govern the innovations of the future. It is clear that climate change is both a strategic priority and an urgent global challenge, including for the Indo-Pacific region," the leaders' op-ed read further adding that the four countries would work together and with others to strengthen the Paris agreement and enhance the climate actions of all nations. Launching the "ambitious efforts" to help end the Covid pandemic, the countries pledged "to expand and accelerate production" in India of safe, accessible and effective vaccines. "We will partner at each stage to ensure that vaccines are administered throughout the Indo-Pacific region into 2022. We will combine our scientific ingenuity, financing, formidable productive capacity and long history of global-health partnership to surge the supply of life-saving vaccines, in close collaboration with multilateral organisations including the World Health Organisation and Covax Facility," the leaders wrote."We will renew and strengthen our partnerships in Southeast Asia, starting with the Association for Southeast Asian Nations, work with the Pacific Islands, and engage the Indian Ocean region to meet this moment. "The Quad is a flexible group of like-minded partners dedicated to advancing a common vision and to ensuring peace and prosperity. We welcome and will seek opportunities to work with all of those who share in those goals," the article read. The leaders stated that the four countries' foundations of democracy and a commitment to engagement "unite us". "We know we can provide for the safety and prosperity of our people at home by confronting global crises together, with purpose and resolve. We summon from tragedy the strength and resilience to unify and overcome. And we recommit ourselves, once again, to an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, secure and prosperous," the leaders wrote. Also read | QUAD member countries to be part of France-led joint exercises Indo-Pacific region is largely viewed as an area comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.China`s territorial claims in the South China Sea and its efforts to advance into the Indian Ocean are seen to have challenged the established rules-based system. China claims much of the South China Sea, but there are also overlapping claims by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. China has built bases and other outposts on shoals, reefs and rock outcroppings to deepen its claim over 80 per cent of the 3.6 sq km waterway, with Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan claim parts of the same area.

Biden, Modi, Morrison and Suga pen joint op-ed, say Quad offers 'spark of hope'

After the first-ever summit of Quad leaders, it was decided that an in-person meeting will be held by the end of 2021.&nbsp;

"At the leader level, we will hold an in-person summit by the end of 2021," the joint statement released said on Friday.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;&nbsp;

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It also said that the senior officials and experts of Quad, which is an alliance of India, the US, Japan, and Australia will "continue to meet regularly".

"Our foreign ministers will converse often and meet at least once a year," it said.&nbsp;

The statement also said that the first-ever summit reaffirmed their "commitment to quadrilateral cooperation" between the four countries. &nbsp;

HIGHLIGHTS: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/highlights-quad-leaders-reaffirm-commitment-to-grouping-after-historic-first-summit-369981">Quad leaders reaffirm commitment to grouping after historic first summit</a>

"We bring diverse perspectives and are united in a shared vision for the free and open Indo-Pacific. We strive for a region that is free, open, inclusive, healthy, anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion."

It recalled that the Quad summit was a result of their joint efforts in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami. &nbsp;

"Today, the global devastation wrought by Covid-19, the threat of climate change, and security challenges facing the region summon us with renewed purpose," the joint statement said.

After the first-ever summit of Quad leaders, it was decided that an in-person meeting will be held by the end of 2021. "At the leader level, we will hold an in-person summit by the end of 2021," the joint statement released said on Friday.

After the first-ever summit of Quad leaders, it was decided that an in-person meeting will be held by the end of 2021. "At the leader level, we will hold an in-person summit by the end of 2021," the joint statement released said on Friday. Watch | It also said that the senior officials and experts of Quad, which is an alliance of India, the US, Japan, and Australia will "continue to meet regularly". "Our foreign ministers will converse often and meet at least once a year," it said. The statement also said that the first-ever summit reaffirmed their "commitment to quadrilateral cooperation" between the four countries. HIGHLIGHTS: Quad leaders reaffirm commitment to grouping after historic first summit "We bring diverse perspectives and are united in a shared vision for the free and open Indo-Pacific. We strive for a region that is free, open, inclusive, healthy, anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion." It recalled that the Quad summit was a result of their joint efforts in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami. "Today, the global devastation wrought by Covid-19, the threat of climate change, and security challenges facing the region summon us with renewed purpose," the joint statement said.

Quad leaders agree for in-person meet in 2021

India will be a part of France-led exercises "La Pérouse" that will take place in early April this year in the Bay of Bengal. With the Indian Navy's addition, all other QUAD member countries — the US, Japan and Australia — will be a part of France initiated joint naval exercise.&nbsp;

France initiated the joint naval exercise "La Pérouse" in 2019 and at that time had included US, Japanese, and Australian forces. The exercises have been named after La Pérouse, a French naval officer and explorer from in 18th century.&nbsp;

The development comes even as 2020 saw Australia being invited for the Malabar exercises for the first time. The exercises, which happened in the Indian ocean saw QUAD countries coming under one umbrella after a gap of many years.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/quad-countries-pledge-cooperation-on-covid-climate-and-security-370185">Watch |</a>&nbsp;

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France has been engaging with QUAD member countries in various formats. In January, the India-France-Australia Trilateral Senior Officials’ Meeting took place. Then, September saw the first Foreign Secretary-level Trilateral Dialogue between the three countries.

The European nation, France, has the world's largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and includes territories in the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Indian Ocean.

EEZ is an area where a country has special rights on maritime resources. France also has 8,000 military personnel based in the region.

In 2018, the country published its Indo-Pacific strategy whose main objective was to promote a rules-based, multilateral regional order, free of any hegemony. Last year, France became&nbsp;the 23rd member of the India ocean Rim Association (IORA).

IORA countries have member countries whose shores are washed by the Indian Ocean waters.

India will be a part of France-led exercises "La Pérouse" that will take place in early April this year in the Bay of Bengal. With the Indian Navy's addition, all other QUAD member countries — the US, Japan and Australia — will be a part of France initiated joint naval exercise.

India will be a part of France-led exercises "La Pérouse" that will take place in early April this year in the Bay of Bengal. With the Indian Navy's addition, all other QUAD member countries — the US, Japan and Australia — will be a part of France initiated joint naval exercise. France initiated the joint naval exercise "La Pérouse" in 2019 and at that time had included US, Japanese, and Australian forces. The exercises have been named after La Pérouse, a French naval officer and explorer from in 18th century. The development comes even as 2020 saw Australia being invited for the Malabar exercises for the first time. The exercises, which happened in the Indian ocean saw QUAD countries coming under one umbrella after a gap of many years. Watch | France has been engaging with QUAD member countries in various formats. In January, the India-France-Australia Trilateral Senior Officials’ Meeting took place. Then, September saw the first Foreign Secretary-level Trilateral Dialogue between the three countries. The European nation, France, has the world's largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and includes territories in the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Indian Ocean. EEZ is an area where a country has special rights on maritime resources. France also has 8,000 military personnel based in the region. In 2018, the country published its Indo-Pacific strategy whose main objective was to promote a rules-based, multilateral regional order, free of any hegemony. Last year, France became the 23rd member of the India ocean Rim Association (IORA). IORA countries have member countries whose shores are washed by the Indian Ocean waters.

QUAD member countries to be part of France-led joint exercises

The Quad is not just an alliance to counter China. For India, the Quad is also a step towards self-reliance, multilateralism and a global leadership role.

Gravitas: What the Quad means for India

For the first time, leaders from all four countries came together for a virtual summit. The leaders spoke in one voice and called for a 'free and open Indo-Pacific'. What is the Quad's gameplan to take on China?

Gravitas: The Quad's gameplan to take on China

U.S. President Joe Biden met leaders of Australia, India and Japan on Friday (March 12), a group central to his efforts to counter China's growing military and economic power, and said a free and open Indo-Pacific region was essential to all of their futures.

Biden says free Indo-Pacific essential as he meets India, Japan, Australia leaders

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison joined with the leaders of the United States, Japan and India at a virtual summit on Saturday morning (March 13), pledging to work closely on COVID-19 vaccine distribution, climate issues and security.

'Quad' countries pledge cooperation on COVID, climate and security

PM Modi, in his opening remarks, said the four countries were united by their democratic values and that the Quad would remain an important pillar of stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Quad praises India's vaccine diplomacy

'We will work together closely as ever before for advancing shared values & promoting secular, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,' PM Modi said.

'Quad will be important pillar of stability', says PM Modi

First ever Quad summit begins, leaders of the alliance meet virtually

The Quad, or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is an informal strategic forum, featuring semi-regular summits, information exchanges and military drills.

China calls Quad an attempt to curb its ambitions

The Quad is a four-nation alliance of India, Australia, US and Japan which was established in 2007.

WION Dispatch: Is Quad, Biden's plan to contain China?

Noting that Quadrilateral Security Dialogue has come of age, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that Quad countries will work together closer than ever before for promoting "a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific" and Quad will now remain an important pillar of stability in the region.

Addressing the first summit meeting of Quad countries being held virtually, PM Modi said the agenda of the meeting makes it a force for global good.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/live-pm-modi-says-quad-force-of-global-good-as-first-ever-summit-begins-369981" hreflang="en">LIVE: PM Modi says Quad 'force of global good' as first-ever summit begins</a></h2>

He said Quad countries are united by democratic values and commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

"I thank President Biden for this initiative. We are united by democratic values and our commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Our agenda today - covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies - makes the Quad a force for global good," he said.

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Speaking at the First Quad Leaders’ Virtual Summit. <a href="https://t.co/Ypom6buHxS">https://t.co/Ypom6buHxS</a>
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"I see this positive vision as an extension of India`s ancient philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which regards the world as one family. We will work together, closer than ever before for advancing our shared values and promoting a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Today's meeting shows that Quad has come of age. It will now remain an important pillar of stability in the region," he added.

Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) includes India, Japan, Australia and the United States of America.&nbsp;

Noting that Quadrilateral Security Dialogue has come of age, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that Quad countries will work together closer than ever before for promoting "a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific" and Quad will now remain an important pillar of stability in the region.

Noting that Quadrilateral Security Dialogue has come of age, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that Quad countries will work together closer than ever before for promoting "a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific" and Quad will now remain an important pillar of stability in the region. Addressing the first summit meeting of Quad countries being held virtually, PM Modi said the agenda of the meeting makes it a force for global good. LIVE: PM Modi says Quad 'force of global good' as first-ever summit begins He said Quad countries are united by democratic values and commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. "I thank President Biden for this initiative. We are united by democratic values and our commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Our agenda today - covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies - makes the Quad a force for global good," he said. Speaking at the First Quad Leaders’ Virtual Summit. https://t.co/Ypom6buHxS — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 12, 2021 × "I see this positive vision as an extension of India`s ancient philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which regards the world as one family. We will work together, closer than ever before for advancing our shared values and promoting a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Today's meeting shows that Quad has come of age. It will now remain an important pillar of stability in the region," he added. Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) includes India, Japan, Australia and the United States of America.

Quad an important pillar of stability in Indo-Pacific region: PM Modi

US&nbsp;President Joe Biden met leaders of Australia, India and Japan on Friday, a group central to his efforts to counter China's growing military and economic power, and said a free and open Indo-Pacific region was essential to all of their futures.

The White House says the virtual meeting of the countries known as the Quad, the first at the leader level, shows the importance Biden places on the Indo-Pacific region and that it will focus on ways to fight the coronavirus pandemic, as well as cooperate on economic growth and the climate crisis.

"A free and open Indo Pacific is essential to each of our futures," Biden told the meeting from the White House. "The United States is committed to working with you, our partners, and all our allies in the region, to achieve stability." Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said he wanted the four "to forge strongly ahead toward the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and to make a visible contribution to peace, stability and prosperity of the region, including overcoming the coronavirus."

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India and Australia have also emphasized the importance of regional security cooperation, which has been enhanced by previous lower-level meetings of the four countries.

A senior US&nbsp;official told reporters ahead of the meeting it would involve "an honest, open discussion about China's role on the global stage," referencing "challenges in the region" to free and open trade and commerce.

The Biden administration has said the Quad nations will announce financing agreements to support an increase in manufacturing capacity for coronavirus vaccines in India, something New Delhi has called for to counter China's widening vaccine diplomacy.

US&nbsp;officials say the countries will also set up a group of experts to help distribute vaccines in the region, as well as working groups for cooperation on climate change, technology standards, and joint development of emerging technologies.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/quad-keen-to-discuss-covid-19-challenges-in-indo-pacific-says-australian-pm-scott-morrison-369987" hreflang="en">Quad: Keen to discuss COVID-19, challenges in Indo-Pacific, says Australian PM</a>

The United States wants to strengthen ties with allies and partners as China adopts an increasingly assertive foreign policy in Asia and beyond. Washington says the additional vaccine capacity will be used in immunization efforts in Southeast Asia, where Beijing is competing for influence.

The virtual meeting including Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will aim to lay the groundwork for an in-person meeting later this year, the administration said.

'Whole new level of cooperation'

Morrison called the meeting "incredibly important."

"When governments come together at the highest level, this shows a whole new level of cooperation to create a new anchor for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific," he told reporters.

Among the issues to be addressed are supply chains exposed as heavily reliant on China during the pandemic.

Japan's Nikkei newspaper reported on Thursday that the four countries would also work together to secure rare earth metals essential to the production of electric car motors and other products.

The Biden administration told Reuters on Tuesday the United States and Japan would help fund Indian firms manufacturing vaccines for U.S. drugmakers Novavax Inc and J&amp;J.

However, Indian government sources said U.S. curbs on exports of critical materials could hamper that effort and those to start large-scale distribution to Southeast Asia.

A second senior administration official told reporters on Thursday that Washington's focus was foremost on getting vaccines to Americans, adding: "We will not be talking about sharing vaccines right now."

India, Australia and Japan have all faced security challenges from China, strengthening their interest in the Quad. Cooperation among them dates back to their joint response to the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in 2004.

The Quad was revived under the Trump administration, which regarded it as a vehicle to push back against China's spreading influence. The United States hosted a foreign ministers' meeting in 2019, which was followed by another in Japan last year and a virtual session in February.

Friday's meeting coincided with a major US&nbsp;diplomatic drive to solidify alliances in Asia and Europe to counter China.

On Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin head to Japan and South Korea for the first face-to-face meetings between senior officials of the Biden administration and US&nbsp;allies - underscoring the critical importance Washington places on Asia and the China challenge.

Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, will join Blinken in Alaska next week to meet with China's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, and State Councillor Wang Yi - the first high-level in-person contact between the world's two largest economies under the Biden administration.

Washington has said it will not hold back in its criticism of Beijing over issues ranging from Taiwan to Hong Kong and the genocide it says China is committing against minority Muslims.

US&nbsp;officials have said they see the meeting with their Chinese counterparts as a "one-off session", with future senior-level engagements based on Washington seeing tangible outcomes to address its grievances with Beijing.

US President Joe Biden met leaders of Australia, India and Japan on Friday, a group central to his efforts to counter China's growing military and economic power, and said a free and open Indo-Pacific region was essential to all of their futures.

US President Joe Biden met leaders of Australia, India and Japan on Friday, a group central to his efforts to counter China's growing military and economic power, and said a free and open Indo-Pacific region was essential to all of their futures. The White House says the virtual meeting of the countries known as the Quad, the first at the leader level, shows the importance Biden places on the Indo-Pacific region and that it will focus on ways to fight the coronavirus pandemic, as well as cooperate on economic growth and the climate crisis. "A free and open Indo Pacific is essential to each of our futures," Biden told the meeting from the White House. "The United States is committed to working with you, our partners, and all our allies in the region, to achieve stability." Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said he wanted the four "to forge strongly ahead toward the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and to make a visible contribution to peace, stability and prosperity of the region, including overcoming the coronavirus." India and Australia have also emphasized the importance of regional security cooperation, which has been enhanced by previous lower-level meetings of the four countries. A senior US official told reporters ahead of the meeting it would involve "an honest, open discussion about China's role on the global stage," referencing "challenges in the region" to free and open trade and commerce. The Biden administration has said the Quad nations will announce financing agreements to support an increase in manufacturing capacity for coronavirus vaccines in India, something New Delhi has called for to counter China's widening vaccine diplomacy. US officials say the countries will also set up a group of experts to help distribute vaccines in the region, as well as working groups for cooperation on climate change, technology standards, and joint development of emerging technologies. Also read| Quad: Keen to discuss COVID-19, challenges in Indo-Pacific, says Australian PM The United States wants to strengthen ties with allies and partners as China adopts an increasingly assertive foreign policy in Asia and beyond. Washington says the additional vaccine capacity will be used in immunization efforts in Southeast Asia, where Beijing is competing for influence. The virtual meeting including Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will aim to lay the groundwork for an in-person meeting later this year, the administration said. 'Whole new level of cooperation' Morrison called the meeting "incredibly important." "When governments come together at the highest level, this shows a whole new level of cooperation to create a new anchor for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific," he told reporters. Among the issues to be addressed are supply chains exposed as heavily reliant on China during the pandemic. Japan's Nikkei newspaper reported on Thursday that the four countries would also work together to secure rare earth metals essential to the production of electric car motors and other products. The Biden administration told Reuters on Tuesday the United States and Japan would help fund Indian firms manufacturing vaccines for U.S. drugmakers Novavax Inc and J&J. However, Indian government sources said U.S. curbs on exports of critical materials could hamper that effort and those to start large-scale distribution to Southeast Asia. A second senior administration official told reporters on Thursday that Washington's focus was foremost on getting vaccines to Americans, adding: "We will not be talking about sharing vaccines right now." India, Australia and Japan have all faced security challenges from China, strengthening their interest in the Quad. Cooperation among them dates back to their joint response to the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in 2004. The Quad was revived under the Trump administration, which regarded it as a vehicle to push back against China's spreading influence. The United States hosted a foreign ministers' meeting in 2019, which was followed by another in Japan last year and a virtual session in February. Friday's meeting coincided with a major US diplomatic drive to solidify alliances in Asia and Europe to counter China. On Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin head to Japan and South Korea for the first face-to-face meetings between senior officials of the Biden administration and US allies - underscoring the critical importance Washington places on Asia and the China challenge. Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, will join Blinken in Alaska next week to meet with China's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, and State Councillor Wang Yi - the first high-level in-person contact between the world's two largest economies under the Biden administration. Washington has said it will not hold back in its criticism of Beijing over issues ranging from Taiwan to Hong Kong and the genocide it says China is committing against minority Muslims. US officials have said they see the meeting with their Chinese counterparts as a "one-off session", with future senior-level engagements based on Washington seeing tangible outcomes to address its grievances with Beijing.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday that he was keen to discuss with "close friends" the issues of COVID-19 and security and maritime challenges across the Indo-Pacific region.

Terming as "historic" his first-ever Quad meeting with leaders from the US, India and Japan, Morrison said he was looking forward to it.

Known as the ''Quadrilateral Security Dialogue,''&nbsp;representatives for the four-member nations have met periodically since its establishment in 2007.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/should-china-be-worried-over-quad-meet-369959/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Morrison, and his Japanese counterpart Yoshihide Suga will attend the virtual summit, which is the first conclave of the top leaders of the Quadrilateral alliance, on Friday.

''I'm sure there will be many other issues that we address and technology partnerships will be necessary to achieve those goals. So, it is an historic moment and I think it does demonstrate Australia's agency in the world. This is something that we have been working towards for many years now. It has been a goal of ours to see the leaders meeting of the Quad come together,;''&nbsp;he added.

The meeting to be held virtually is expected to last about 90 minutes, during which all the four leaders would also lay out their vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Amidst China flexing its muscles in the strategically-vital region.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/quad-meeting-2021-focus-on-vaccines-securing-indo-pacific-on-agenda-369938/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas. Beijing has also made substantial progress in militarising its man-made islands in the past few years. Beijing claims sovereignty over all of the South China Sea. But Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims. In the East China Sea, China has territorial disputes with Japan.

"There have been meetings of foreign ministers. There have been many other meetings. But when governments come together at the highest level, this shows a whole new level of cooperation to create a new anchor for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and working with important other partners in the region, and particularly the ASEAN nations and their view of the Indo-Pacific that so much informs our own,'' Morrison said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Morrison said the Quad was about "four like-minded countries coming together" to ensure "an open, independent, sovereign Indo-Pacific".

He assured the Quad members "look into the Indo-Pacific through the same lens as the ASEAN nations and understand the critical role of ASEAN within the Indo-Pacific".

"It was one of the first things, the first thing I should say, I discussed with President Biden and I was so pleased the new administration was also so enthusiastic about this programme, and that President Biden is taking this to another level and seeing the Quad as his first engagement in this way, and to elevate it in this way," he said in Canberra.

"It is another key step forward in how Australia has sought to keep Australians safe, by ensuring that we're working with our partners, with our allies in particular," he said.

Federal trade minister Dan Tegan also said the Quad meeting was a historic one with a positive agenda.

"This is about us engaging with like-minded liberal democracies to address important issues in the Indo-Pacific. And, it's positive engagement in the Indo-Pacific that has led to our region prospering like it has since the Second World War, and China has been a key beneficiary of that,''&nbsp;he said.

"The economic growth which has occurred in China since the Second World War has been extraordinary, and we want to make sure that all countries in the Indo-Pacific can enjoy what a free and open Indo-Pacific can lead to,''&nbsp;Tegan said.

The South China Sea and the East China Sea are stated to be rich in minerals, oil and other natural resources. They are also vital to global trade. Although the US lays no claims to the disputed waters, it has challenged China's growing territorial claims in the South China Sea by deploying warships and fighter jets to assert freedom of navigation and overflight patrols in the strategically vital region.

The evolving situation in the Indo-Pacific region in the wake of China's increasing military muscle-flexing has become a major talking point among leading global powers. The US has been favouring making Quad a security architecture to check China's growing assertiveness.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday that he was keen to discuss with "close friends" the issues of COVID-19 and security and maritime challenges across the Indo-Pacific region.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday that he was keen to discuss with "close friends" the issues of COVID-19 and security and maritime challenges across the Indo-Pacific region. Terming as "historic" his first-ever Quad meeting with leaders from the US, India and Japan, Morrison said he was looking forward to it. Known as the ''Quadrilateral Security Dialogue,'' representatives for the four-member nations have met periodically since its establishment in 2007. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Morrison, and his Japanese counterpart Yoshihide Suga will attend the virtual summit, which is the first conclave of the top leaders of the Quadrilateral alliance, on Friday. ''I'm sure there will be many other issues that we address and technology partnerships will be necessary to achieve those goals. So, it is an historic moment and I think it does demonstrate Australia's agency in the world. This is something that we have been working towards for many years now. It has been a goal of ours to see the leaders meeting of the Quad come together,;'' he added. The meeting to be held virtually is expected to last about 90 minutes, during which all the four leaders would also lay out their vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Amidst China flexing its muscles in the strategically-vital region. China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas. Beijing has also made substantial progress in militarising its man-made islands in the past few years. Beijing claims sovereignty over all of the South China Sea. But Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims. In the East China Sea, China has territorial disputes with Japan. "There have been meetings of foreign ministers. There have been many other meetings. But when governments come together at the highest level, this shows a whole new level of cooperation to create a new anchor for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and working with important other partners in the region, and particularly the ASEAN nations and their view of the Indo-Pacific that so much informs our own,'' Morrison said. Earlier on Wednesday, Morrison said the Quad was about "four like-minded countries coming together" to ensure "an open, independent, sovereign Indo-Pacific". He assured the Quad members "look into the Indo-Pacific through the same lens as the ASEAN nations and understand the critical role of ASEAN within the Indo-Pacific". "It was one of the first things, the first thing I should say, I discussed with President Biden and I was so pleased the new administration was also so enthusiastic about this programme, and that President Biden is taking this to another level and seeing the Quad as his first engagement in this way, and to elevate it in this way," he said in Canberra. "It is another key step forward in how Australia has sought to keep Australians safe, by ensuring that we're working with our partners, with our allies in particular," he said. Federal trade minister Dan Tegan also said the Quad meeting was a historic one with a positive agenda. "This is about us engaging with like-minded liberal democracies to address important issues in the Indo-Pacific. And, it's positive engagement in the Indo-Pacific that has led to our region prospering like it has since the Second World War, and China has been a key beneficiary of that,'' he said. "The economic growth which has occurred in China since the Second World War has been extraordinary, and we want to make sure that all countries in the Indo-Pacific can enjoy what a free and open Indo-Pacific can lead to,'' Tegan said. The South China Sea and the East China Sea are stated to be rich in minerals, oil and other natural resources. They are also vital to global trade. Although the US lays no claims to the disputed waters, it has challenged China's growing territorial claims in the South China Sea by deploying warships and fighter jets to assert freedom of navigation and overflight patrols in the strategically vital region. The evolving situation in the Indo-Pacific region in the wake of China's increasing military muscle-flexing has become a major talking point among leading global powers. The US has been favouring making Quad a security architecture to check China's growing assertiveness.

Quad: Keen to discuss COVID-19, challenges in Indo-Pacific, says Australian PM Scott Morrison

With a focus on practical cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and Covid vaccine supplies, the first-ever Quad summit will take place on Friday. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian PM Scott Morrison, and Japanese PM&nbsp;Yoshihide Suga will meet virtually at 7 pm IST.

India's Ministry of External Affairs said the summit "will provide an opportunity to exchange views on contemporary challenges such as resilient supply chains, emerging and critical technologies, maritime security&nbsp;and climate change."

The&nbsp;leaders "will discuss ongoing efforts to combat Covid-19 pandemic and explore opportunities for collaboration in ensuring safe, equitable and affordable vaccines in the Indo-Pacific region," it said in a statement.

Quad, short for Quadrilateral Security Dialogue,&nbsp;first came into existence after the 2004 tsunami and was first formalised in 2007. At that time, Australia had issues&nbsp;with the grouping, which again held a meeting a decade later in 2017 at the official level. Since 2019, Quad has had conversations at the foreign ministers' level, thrice.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, "That President Biden has made this one of his earliest multilateral engagements speaks to the importance we place on close cooperation with our allies and partners in the Indo- Pacific."&nbsp;

"A range of issues, of course, will be discussed — we expect to be discussed, I should say — facing the global community from the threat of Covid, to economic cooperation, and of course, to the climate crisis," she told reporters.

The Quad meeting comes at a time of increased Chinese aggressiveness, not only in the region but with Quad member countries as well. Beijing has locked horns with Australia and the US on the trade front, Japan over&nbsp;Senkaku islands, and is engaged in a border standoff with India, that has seen disengagement at one area so far.

With a focus on practical cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and Covid vaccine supplies, the first-ever Quad summit will take place on Friday. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian PM Scott Morrison, and Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga will meet virtually at 7 pm IST.

With a focus on practical cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and Covid vaccine supplies, the first-ever Quad summit will take place on Friday. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian PM Scott Morrison, and Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga will meet virtually at 7 pm IST. India's Ministry of External Affairs said the summit "will provide an opportunity to exchange views on contemporary challenges such as resilient supply chains, emerging and critical technologies, maritime security and climate change." The leaders "will discuss ongoing efforts to combat Covid-19 pandemic and explore opportunities for collaboration in ensuring safe, equitable and affordable vaccines in the Indo-Pacific region," it said in a statement. Quad, short for Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, first came into existence after the 2004 tsunami and was first formalised in 2007. At that time, Australia had issues with the grouping, which again held a meeting a decade later in 2017 at the official level. Since 2019, Quad has had conversations at the foreign ministers' level, thrice. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, "That President Biden has made this one of his earliest multilateral engagements speaks to the importance we place on close cooperation with our allies and partners in the Indo- Pacific." "A range of issues, of course, will be discussed — we expect to be discussed, I should say — facing the global community from the threat of Covid, to economic cooperation, and of course, to the climate crisis," she told reporters. The Quad meeting comes at a time of increased Chinese aggressiveness, not only in the region but with Quad member countries as well. Beijing has locked horns with Australia and the US on the trade front, Japan over Senkaku islands, and is engaged in a border standoff with India, that has seen disengagement at one area so far.

First-ever Quad summit to focus on Indo-Pacific, Covid vaccines

Ahead of the Quad summit, the top US Commander for the Indo-Pacific has issued a warning. He believes China is "the greatest long term strategic threat to security". WION's Palki tells you more about the rising Chinese military threat in the Indo-Pacific.

Gravitas: Ahead of the Quad summit, Top US Commander issues a warning

4 leaders, 4 democracies, 1 platform & a common foe. The Quad will finally assemble this Friday with an eye on China's expansionism. What will each leader bring to the table?

Gravitas: The Quad is meeting for the first time

It's official now. The Quad will hold its first-ever summit this week on Friday. Leaders from the United States, Japan, India and Australia will hold a virtual summit. The agenda will be wide-ranging but the focus is clear-- countering the common threat-- and the warning is specific. It comes from Admiral Philip Davidson, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific command.&nbsp;

Davidson says, "China is the greatest long term strategic threat to security in the 21st century and if the US and its allies do not act, they could be left behind."&nbsp;

China's approach to the region includes an effort of coercing, corrupt and collapse governments, businesses, organisations and the people of the Indo-Pacific.&nbsp;

As China continues to increase the size of the PLA and advance their own joint capabilities, the military imbalance in the Indo-Pacific is becoming more unfavourable for the United States and its allies.&nbsp;

So what is the threat assessment of the commander?&nbsp;

China is speeding up plans to overtake the US on the world stage but the threat is not limited to the US. China could invade Taiwan within the next six years. The Chinese military is expanding its assets in the region and the US believes the level of deterrence is reducing.

What about India?&nbsp;

The admiral had something to say about India too. It's about the border standoff. The US commander says it's not over yet. "The PLA has not yet withdrawn from several forward positions it seized following the initial clash, and the consequent escalation of tensions between the PRC and India has resulted in casualties on both sides.”&nbsp;

The commander believes Chinese aggression on the LAC is a manifestation of Beijing's 'expansionary territorial ambitions'. China's large-scale mobilisation of troops is a matter of concern, not just for India but for the US too. Admiral Davidson told US lawmakers that China had deployed 'roughly 50,000&nbsp;soldiers' along the LAC. He believes this was a major move. Such a massive deployment on difficult terrain signals that Beijing is ready to use force to achieve desired outcomes. It raises the threat of war so any country that has interests in the Indo-Pacific, must be wary of China's growing military moves. So, what's the solution?&nbsp;

The US military establishment is banking on the Quad. While testifying before the lawmakers, Admiral Davidson described the Quad as ''a diamond of democracies''.&nbsp;

The US defence department says building alliances with partners is now 'tremendously important' as the statement suggests the Quad cannot just have a military dimension. It must have a bigger mandate. The Quad could change the way the world approaches global economy, critical technologies like telecommunications and 5G, and even collaboration on the international order.&nbsp;

The potential of the Quad is immense but what has been lacking is the political will as the leaders sit down for their first summit on this Friday. They should appreciate the weight of expectations and the criticality of their situation.&nbsp;

It's official now. The Quad will hold its first-ever summit this week on Friday. Leaders from the United States, Japan, India and Australia will hold a virtual summit.

It's official now. The Quad will hold its first-ever summit this week on Friday. Leaders from the United States, Japan, India and Australia will hold a virtual summit. The agenda will be wide-ranging but the focus is clear-- countering the common threat-- and the warning is specific. It comes from Admiral Philip Davidson, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific command. Davidson says, "China is the greatest long term strategic threat to security in the 21st century and if the US and its allies do not act, they could be left behind." China's approach to the region includes an effort of coercing, corrupt and collapse governments, businesses, organisations and the people of the Indo-Pacific. As China continues to increase the size of the PLA and advance their own joint capabilities, the military imbalance in the Indo-Pacific is becoming more unfavourable for the United States and its allies. So what is the threat assessment of the commander? China is speeding up plans to overtake the US on the world stage but the threat is not limited to the US. China could invade Taiwan within the next six years. The Chinese military is expanding its assets in the region and the US believes the level of deterrence is reducing. What about India? The admiral had something to say about India too. It's about the border standoff. The US commander says it's not over yet. "The PLA has not yet withdrawn from several forward positions it seized following the initial clash, and the consequent escalation of tensions between the PRC and India has resulted in casualties on both sides.” The commander believes Chinese aggression on the LAC is a manifestation of Beijing's 'expansionary territorial ambitions'. China's large-scale mobilisation of troops is a matter of concern, not just for India but for the US too. Admiral Davidson told US lawmakers that China had deployed 'roughly 50,000 soldiers' along the LAC. He believes this was a major move. Such a massive deployment on difficult terrain signals that Beijing is ready to use force to achieve desired outcomes. It raises the threat of war so any country that has interests in the Indo-Pacific, must be wary of China's growing military moves. So, what's the solution? The US military establishment is banking on the Quad. While testifying before the lawmakers, Admiral Davidson described the Quad as ''a diamond of democracies''. The US defence department says building alliances with partners is now 'tremendously important' as the statement suggests the Quad cannot just have a military dimension. It must have a bigger mandate. The Quad could change the way the world approaches global economy, critical technologies like telecommunications and 5G, and even collaboration on the international order. The potential of the Quad is immense but what has been lacking is the political will as the leaders sit down for their first summit on this Friday. They should appreciate the weight of expectations and the criticality of their situation.

Quad looks to 'checkmate' aggressive China  

Indian Ministry of External Affairs has announced that the first-ever summit of the leaders of ‘Quadrilateral Security Dialogue’, also known as the Quad leaders' will take place virtually on March 12.

Top US Admiral speaks on China's growing influence

The first-ever Quad, India, Japan, Australia and US leaders' summit will take place virtually on March 12, the Friday marking a significant geopolitical moment. The summit will see participation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Australian PM Scott Morrison, Japan's PM Yoshihide Suga and US President Joseph R Biden.&nbsp;

India's ministry of external affairs, in a statement said, "The leaders will discuss regional and global issues of shared interest, and exchange views on practical areas of cooperation towards maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region".&nbsp;

It explained, "the Summit will provide an opportunity to exchange views on contemporary challenges, such as resilient supply chains, emerging and critical technologies, maritime security, and climate change."&nbsp;

Covid vaccines will be a key focus, with leaders discussing 'ongoing efforts to combat Covid-19 pandemic' and 'explore opportunities for collaboration in ensuring safe, equitable and affordable vaccines in the Indo-Pacific region', the release mentioned.&nbsp;

So far, three foreign ministers' level conversations have taken place, two of them physical meetings--one in New York in 2019, another in Tokyo last year and one telephonic conversation just last month. Last month's telephonic conversation between the four foreign ministers, US State Secretary Blinken, Japan FM Motegi Toshimitsu, Australian FM Marise Payne and EAM Dr S Jaishankar saw key focus being on Myanmar.&nbsp;

Last week, Australian PM Scott Morrison confirming plans of the meet, said, "I am looking forward to that first gathering of quad leaders. It will be the first-ever gathering of quad leaders. I already had bilateral discussions with Narendra Modi and Yoshihide Suga, the PM of Japan and PM of India."&nbsp;

He pointed that such meets would become a 'feature of the Indo Pacific engagement' but it will "not have a big bureaucracy, with a big secretariat. it will be four leaders, four countries working together constructively for the peace, prosperity, and stability of the Indo pacific."&nbsp;

Quad is seen very suspiciously by China, which has termed it 'Asian Nato' something that has been dismissed by the grouping. The dialogue was first initiated in 2007 by the then Japanese PM Shinzo Abe but lost support only to re-emerge in 2017 when leaders of the grouping had met. Last year, saw Australia being invited to Malabar exercises which saw all four Quad countries coming under one umbrella for naval exercises in the Indian ocean. Amid the covid pandemic, Quad plus meetings happened at the foreign secretary-level to exchange best practices.&nbsp;

The first-ever Quad, India, Japan, Australia and US leaders' summit will take place virtually on March 12, the Friday marking a significant geopolitical moment. The summit will see participation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Australian PM Scott Morrison, Japan's PM Yoshihide Suga and US President Joseph R Biden.

The first-ever Quad, India, Japan, Australia and US leaders' summit will take place virtually on March 12, the Friday marking a significant geopolitical moment. The summit will see participation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Australian PM Scott Morrison, Japan's PM Yoshihide Suga and US President Joseph R Biden. India's ministry of external affairs, in a statement said, "The leaders will discuss regional and global issues of shared interest, and exchange views on practical areas of cooperation towards maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region". It explained, "the Summit will provide an opportunity to exchange views on contemporary challenges, such as resilient supply chains, emerging and critical technologies, maritime security, and climate change." Covid vaccines will be a key focus, with leaders discussing 'ongoing efforts to combat Covid-19 pandemic' and 'explore opportunities for collaboration in ensuring safe, equitable and affordable vaccines in the Indo-Pacific region', the release mentioned. So far, three foreign ministers' level conversations have taken place, two of them physical meetings--one in New York in 2019, another in Tokyo last year and one telephonic conversation just last month. Last month's telephonic conversation between the four foreign ministers, US State Secretary Blinken, Japan FM Motegi Toshimitsu, Australian FM Marise Payne and EAM Dr S Jaishankar saw key focus being on Myanmar. Last week, Australian PM Scott Morrison confirming plans of the meet, said, "I am looking forward to that first gathering of quad leaders. It will be the first-ever gathering of quad leaders. I already had bilateral discussions with Narendra Modi and Yoshihide Suga, the PM of Japan and PM of India." He pointed that such meets would become a 'feature of the Indo Pacific engagement' but it will "not have a big bureaucracy, with a big secretariat. it will be four leaders, four countries working together constructively for the peace, prosperity, and stability of the Indo pacific." Quad is seen very suspiciously by China, which has termed it 'Asian Nato' something that has been dismissed by the grouping. The dialogue was first initiated in 2007 by the then Japanese PM Shinzo Abe but lost support only to re-emerge in 2017 when leaders of the grouping had met. Last year, saw Australia being invited to Malabar exercises which saw all four Quad countries coming under one umbrella for naval exercises in the Indian ocean. Amid the covid pandemic, Quad plus meetings happened at the foreign secretary-level to exchange best practices.

First Quad leaders summit this Friday 

According to reports, the United Kingdom could join the historic Quad including four of the world's biggest economic powerhouses, with a new groundbreaking defence and foreign relations.

Reports say UK could join the historic Quad in new alliance

quad

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