Reimagining Quad in the shadow of Trump

For India, the Quad is also an opportunity to firm up ties with Japan and Australia, especially in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor.

The first diplomatic engagement of the Trump Administration in January, soon after it settled in office, was to host the Quad foreign ministers in Washington D.C. The joint statement of the four maritime democracies (India, Japan, Australia and the US) committed to strengthening “regional maritime, economic, and technology security in the region” as well as “promoting reliable and resilient supply chains”. Regular meetings were promised in preparation of the Quad Leaders’ Summit that India was to host in September. However, Quad foreign ministers meet today in Washington D.C. acutely aware that the sense of euphoria and continuity that distinguished the January 21 meeting has made way for uncertainty. The Quad Leaders’ Summit has been postponed and questions loom over the bloc’s future as the US under President Trump pursues its unilateral agendas on global trade, security, and economic development. The challenge before the leaders is to reaffirm the stated goals of the bloc, source funds and build capacities to deliver them.

At a time when power blocs unravel and nations take refuge in bilateral arrangements to protect national interests, Quad must not lose sight of its long-term priorities. (PTI)

Trump 2.0 has been relatively indifferent to multilateral blocs. The US pivot to bilateralism on issues as varied as trade and the climate crisis has influenced the Quad members to align agendas with the Trump administration’s preferences. The 2024 Wilmington Declaration, for instance, stressed on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as a Quad goal. With Washington curtailing its spending on global aid, the focus now is now exclusively on disaster relief. Similarly, the Quad Cancer Moonshot, which was to see a major Indian involvement, seems to be less of a priority now. Delhi’s ongoing trade talks with Washington may even influence the scheduling of the Quad Leaders’ summit.

The considerations that led to the formation of Quad a decade ago remain. At a time when power blocs unravel and nations take refuge in bilateral arrangements to protect national interests, Quad must not lose sight of its long-term priorities, especially a free and open Indo-Pacific, commitment to a rules-based order, and trade. As for India, it is also an opportunity to firm up ties with Japan and Australia, especially in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor and the churn in the neighbourhood.