Quad: Potential bulwark against China's increasing activity in the Indo-Pacific

India, United States, Japan and Australia are members of theQuad, an informal group that Washington has been promoting to work as a potential bulwark against China's increasing political, commercial and military activity in the Indo-Pacific.

The four nations that make up the so-calledQuadgroup (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue)began their largest joint naval exercises over a decade ago, as part of efforts to balance China's vast military and economic power in the region.

It's an old group with a new life and the members need it, now more than ever.

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Japan wants to end Chinese incursions in its waters.To counter China, Suga last month visited Vietnam and Indonesia to bolster ties with key Southeast Asian allies. That followed a meeting in Tokyo of foreign ministers from the "Quad" an informal group of Japan, Australia, the United States, and India.

While Australia wants to counter China's punitive taxes, America wants an open Indo-Pacific and India wants respect for its territorial integrity.

The grouping makes sense but for it to make a difference it must get its act together, speak in one voice and in a language of strength.

The Quad must be consistent and proactive and notcompliant and reactive.

In 2004,a tsunami had devastated the Indian Ocean region and the world was looking to help. Four countries decided to coordinate their response, these includeIndia, the United States, Japan and Australia.

They launched ad hoc operations to provide reliefbut the engagement was limited. In 2007,the ASEAN regional forum took place in the Philippines, the prime ministers ofIndia, Japan and Australiamet with then USVice President Dick Cheney.

This was the first quadrilateral summit.Afew months later,the four countries held a large multilateral naval exercise in the Indian Ocean

Hu Jintao, former president of the People's Republic of China,did not like it andexerted pressure.

China has denounced theQuadas an attempt to contain its development and urged the United States to drop its "Cold War mentality".

Forthe next 10 years, the Quadlay dormant. But2017 came as a big turning point as China's Belt andRoad initiative was expanding.

Quadmember nations saw what China was up to andresurrected thealliance with a meeting. The discussion revolved around a 'free andopen Indo-Pacific.

After unleashing the coronavirus pandemic, China emerged as the single biggest threat to the stability of the Indo-Pacific.

Itsincreasing assertiveness,expanding maritime aggressionand bizarre territorial claims hasinfuriated Quad members and the other countries in the region.

Beijing is currently fightinga trade war with the United States,a diplomatic war with Australia,a border conflict with Indiaand multiple territorial disputes with Japan.

Thethreat is real and Quad is looking to evolve from an informal grouping into a formal alliance because togetherit has the potential to counter China's aggression.

China has an army of twomillion. Meanwhile, the combined army strength ofIndia, United States, Japan and Australiais 2.2 million.

While the Chinese navy has a strength of 240,000,for the Quad, the naval forces stand at 760,000.

But even though the potential is immense,challenges remain, especially for India, proximity and the lackof a formal alliance are major concerns.

India is the only quad member that shares a border with China and is thus, the most vulnerable to Chinese retaliation.

Unlike Japan andAustralia, India does not have a formal security alliance with America.

India sticks to the idea of non-alignment and strategic autonomy, it cannot command the Quad's intervention, should China provoke again.

USPresident Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed in a telephone call to strengthen Indo-Pacific security through theQuadgrouping of countries that is seen as a way to push back against China's growing assertiveness in the region.

To bepotent and effective, Quad and its membersmust establish a formal alliance andnot wait for another pandemicto join hands.