QUAD foreign ministers to hold meeting on March 3 in New Delhi

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New Delhi: Foreign Ministers of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad are set to meet in India’s capital New Delhi on 3 March.

The meeting will be hosted by India and chaired by India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. It will see the participation of Foreign Ministers of Australia and Japan and the US Secretary of State.

It may be noted that Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and US Secretary General Antony Blinken are already in New Delhi for the G20 foreign ministers meeting.

At the Quad meeting, foreign ministers are expected to exchange views on the recent developments in the Indo-Pacific region and discuss regional issues of mutual interests “guided by their vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific,” according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

They will also review the progress made by the Quad in pursuing its constructive agenda and implementation of initiatives to address the region’s contemporary priorities.

The Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is also expected to attend the Quad meeting although he skipped the G20 foreign ministerial meet, people familiar with the matter said.

The meeting will also address China’s aggressive actions across the region. This will include the country’s expanding influence in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.

What is QUAD?

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD) is a group of four nations — India, US, Australia and Japan — which was convened by the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007. The strategic forum was established to strengthen diplomatic and military assistance between the four countries.

The main goals of the group include a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, enhancement of maritime security, connectivity, infrastructural development and counterterrorism.

What has the group achieved so far?

Over the years, QUAD has achieved numerous favourable outcomes in various sectors including economic and diplomatic understanding, regional security and dealing with Covid-19 pandemic.

In the Indo-Pacific region, the group of four nations has also collaborated to give a boost to regional security and stability.

They have also conducted joint military exercises, patrols to counter-terrorism and shared intelligence.

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Ayndrila Banerjee

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