ForumIAS announcing GS Foundation Program for UPSC CSE 2025-26 from 10th August. Click Here for more information.
Synopsis: The Quad Summit held recently. This summit was important for all member countries due to various reasons.
Introduction
The virtual summit brought leaders of the Quadrilateral Summit Security Dialogue together. The outcomes announced by Quad Summit leaders include a vaccine initiative and joint working groups to cooperate on critical technology and climate change.
- The vaccine initiative has a deadline. One billion vaccines will reach as many Indo-Pacific countries as possible by the end of 2022.
- The vaccines will be made in India with U.S. technology, Japanese funding, and Australian distribution networks.
- The four Quad Summit countries will make sure emissions reduction based on the Paris accord.
- They will cooperate on technology supply chains, 5G networks, and biotechnology.
Why are the QUAD members eager for further engagements?
The summit was hosted by Mr. Biden. The four leaders are committed to an open Indo-Pacific which is free from bullying. The leaders are expected to meet at the G-7 summit later this year.
- Firstly, Biden is eager for the Quad engagement. It is a part of his promise that America will be back to the global leadership, endorsing regional pacts, and taking on the growing challenge from China.
- Secondly, Australia and Japan are keen on taking the Quad partnership to deeper levels of cooperation. It is because of maritime tensions with China and trade- telecommunication issues.
- Thirdly, India will get more strategic support after the new terms of the Quad. It will also boost its pharmaceutical skills, opportunities for technology partnerships.
- Regional cooperation on development projects and financing infrastructure will also get a boost. In this domain, China leads usually.
Will Quad be a challenge for china?
However, this does not mean that the whole point of the Quad summit is to challenge china.
- Firstly, the new U.S. government is still exploring its own relationship with China. They will have an engagement with Beijing’s top diplomats is in Alaska.
- Secondly, China is the biggest trading partner for Japan and Australia. This relationship will only grow once the 15-nation RCEP gets into action.
- Thirdly, India has its own ties with China. It is having disengagement talks with china over LAC. India also has other multilateral commitments at the BRICS and SCO groupings. Hence, India kept the conversation at the summit focused on making the Quad a “force for global good” instead of pushing plans for a militaristic union.
- The Quad’s new “summit avatar” has given India yet another string to its bow, broadening India’s interests on its geopolitical horizons even further.
Source: Click here