The rise of Quad has been quite dramatic: Expert

In a special interaction with ETV Bharat's Senior correspondent, Chandrakala Choudhury, Director, Strategic Studies, Observer Research Foundation, Prof Harsh V Pant said that the rise of Quad has been quite dramatic, because it was just a few months back, before the pandemic that the focus was more on the resurgence of 'Quad'in softer issues, infrastructure etc, but what has happened during the pandemic in the last 12 months has made it imperative for these four countries to bolster their relationship.

New Delhi: The meeting of the United States, Japan, India and Australia (Quad) which is scheduled to take place this month, will be the first-ever talks that will be held between the heads of the state of the four-member quad as four countries see growing tensions with China over varieties of issues in the region.

In an interview with ETV Bharat, Prof Harsh V Pant, International Relations, King's College London and Director, Strategic Studies, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi, said, "The rise of Quad has been quite dramatic, because it was just a few months back, before the pandemic that the focus was more on the resurgence of 'Quad'in softer issues, infrastructure etc, but what has happened during the pandemic in the last 12 months has made it imperative for these four countries to bolster their relationship."

"I think, that's what we are witnessing today when we are looking at the first leaders level summit of Quad countries, which signifies that the four countries look at China and the changing balance of power in the region with a great degree of consternation. And there is a resolve among the four countries to get their act together, as well as make this platform the focal point of wider regional engagement," Prof Pant said.

He said that the relationship between the US and China is the most important global relationship today. Of course, there was some assessment that perhaps, the Biden administration would take a different track, but what the Biden administration is signalling that they are going to be as strong vis-a-vis China as the Trump administration was", he explained.

"For the United States, the idea that the quad engagement should happen soon is indicative of this reality of the fact that for the Biden administration, China remains the most important challenge as was also articulated in the Interim National Security Strategy recently. Therefore, for the US, the Quad like platform becomes very important in the way they are going to shape their China policy and their approach to the Indo-Pacific," he added.

The Quad or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue is an informal dialogue strategic forum for the four nations involved and has featured semi-regular summits and information exchanges.