The Quad has met in person for the first time in Washington and Prime Minister Narendra Modi Modi has had his first bilateral meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden too. A detailed joint statement was issued after the Quad meeting that detailed cooperation on a range of issues, including tackling terrorism, Afghanistan and Myanmar, while talking of increasing cooperation with ASEAN. The “C” word – or China – was missing from the 17-para statement issued by the United States, India, Japan and China – but make no mistake it’s all about dealing with China.
China has described the nascent Quad grouping as a “clique” and also hit out on the eve of the meeting at India for triggering the deadly June 2020 Galwan Valley clash.
What is the direction that the Quad is taking and what is its relevance in the context of the new alliance in the Indo-Pacific that the U.S. has announced? Has the Quad cooperation been enhanced after the first in-person meetings of the national leaders?
We answer these questions in this podcast.
Guest: Suhasini Haidar, Diplomatic Affairs Editor and National Editor, The Hindu
Host: Amit Baruah, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindu