Know All About First Leaders’ Summit: QUAD

• Focus on vaccines, climate change, emerging tech makes group a force for global good, says PM Modi
• Members of the Quadrilateral Framework or ‘Quad’ will become “closer than ever before”, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the first ever leadership summit of the grouping.
• Addressing the virtual summit, Mr. Modi, President Joe Biden of the United States, Japanese Premier Yoshihide Suga and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison highlighted cooperation among the member countries to beat the global COVID-19 pandemic, with joint partnership on vaccines, and emphasised the need for an “open” and “free” Indo-Pacific region.
• The member nations agreed to ensure “equitable” access to vaccines to counter the pandemic.
• A joint statement, titled ‘The Spirit of the Quad’, said: “We will join forces to expand safe, affordable, and effective vaccine production and equitable access to speed economic recovery and benefit global health.”

What is "QUAD"?

• It is a four-nation alliance of India, Australia, USA and Japan which was established in 2007.
• It is often dubbed as an "Asian" or "mini" NATO, and is viewed as a counterbalance to China's military and economic clout in the Indo-Pacific region.
• The 2020 US-China Economic and Security Review Commission shows China's growing power projection along the Indian Ocean rim with military or economic activities in countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
• Interestingly, the QUAD, which used to be known as the quadrilateral security dialogue, is now known as the quadrilateral framework to indicate it has gone beyond a narrow security dialogue.

Evolution of QUAD:

• The group, which began with an ambitious geostrategic vision 14 years ago, failed to take off initially due to hesitation among the four nations and objections by China.
• In December 2012, Shinzo Abe again floated the concept of Asia’s “Democratic Security Diamond” involving Australia, India, Japan and the USA to safeguard the maritime commons from the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific.
• In November 2017, India, the USA, Australia and Japan gave shape to the long-pending "QUAD" Coalition to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence (especially China).
• Since then, QUAD has taken several steps to bolster military and strategic ties with a series of working- and ministerial-level meetings.

QUAD Military Exercise: The Malabar Exercise:

• In 2020, all four QUAD Countries - Japan, India, Australia and the USA took part in the Malabar exercise.
• Malabar exercise is an annual trilateral naval exercise between the navies of India, Japan, and the USA which is held alternately in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Highlights of the QUAD Meet:

Quad Vaccine Partnership:

• Agreed to ensure “equitable” access to vaccines to counter the pandemic.
• Agreed to a plan to pool their financial resources, manufacturing capabilities and logistical strengths.
• Japan, USA and Australia will finance the vaccine initiative that India has welcomed.
• Appreciated the Vaccine Maitri initiative (India’s Vaccine Diplomacy) of India.
• Vaccine Maitri Initiative is an initiative launched by India to give Covid-19 vaccines to neighbouring countries.

Discussion on China:

• The Line of Actual Control (LAC) was discussed by the QUAD leaders as one of several examples of Chinese aggression.
• Other issues related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Taiwan Strait and coercion of Australia, harassment around the Senkaku, were also discussed.
• Concerns regarding Chinese cyberattacks on the USA targets (Microsoft Exchange and SolarWinds) and also cybersecurity incidents in India, Japan and Australia were discussed.

India’s Stand:

• QUAD is united by its democratic values and will remain an important pillar of stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Called the meet an extension of the ancient Indian philosophy ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, which regards the world as one family.

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