Questions surrounding the Quad’s future, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited New Delhi for the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit, reaffirming commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
• The U.S. Pentagon renamed the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command back to the U.S. Pacific Command on June 16, reversing a 2018 change.
• The U.S. National Security Strategy, released in November 2025, prioritizes the Western Hemisphere over the Indo-Pacific.
• These developments have led to questions regarding the future and relevance of the Quad.

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Detailed Insights:

• The 2018 renaming to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command was symbolic, recognizing the region's growing importance and India's central role in U.S. strategy.
• The recent reversal suggests a potential shift in Washington's strategic priorities away from the Indo-Pacific.
• Critics highlight the Quad's hesitation to explicitly name China, despite its military and economic aggression in the region.
• Another criticism is the Quad's reluctance to project itself as a primarily security-centric grouping, despite regional security challenges.
• The Quad has not adopted a 2+2 format for ministerial dialogues, unlike bilateral arrangements among its member countries.
• Despite criticisms, the Quad's agenda includes 37 initiatives, with 23 falling under security-related domains.
• Cooperation areas focus on interoperability, data sharing, monitoring, and relief, with dual-use capabilities for military applications.
• The Quad emphasizes building capacity and resilient supply chains, particularly in critical and emerging technologies.
• There is a discrepancy between the Quad's security-heavy agenda and its funding patterns, with health and climate being primary beneficiaries.
• The Critical Minerals Initiative and Framework aims to mobilize $20 billion, but this target currently lacks committed or allocated funding.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue): An informal strategic forum comprising India, Japan, Australia, and the United States.
• Indo-Pacific: A geopolitical concept encompassing the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, emphasizing their interconnectedness.
• 2+2 format: A bilateral ministerial dialogue involving the Foreign and Defence Ministers of two countries.
• Critical Minerals Initiative and Framework: A Quad initiative aimed at securing supply chains for critical minerals essential for modern technologies.