What Is Quad? Know All About This Informal Strategic Forum Of 4 Nations

The Quad Summit 2024 was held on September 22 in Delaware (USA). The conference was attended by the heads of states of America, Japan and Australia, as well as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The conference discussed issues such as promoting cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and peaceful resolution of the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

What is Quad?

Quad is a group of four countries – India, Australia, Japan and America. It is an informal platform of these four countries where strategic security and mutual cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region are discussed together. The aim of this group is to strengthen maritime security in the Asia-Pacific region. It was formed in 2007. Just a year later, in 2008, Australia separated from it. After that, the group was closed. Then it was revived in 2017.

Why is Quad important for India?

The aim of the Quad is to reduce the economic and strategic influence of China. In this order, it helps India to increase its economic and military capabilities to compete with China.

How was the Quad formed?

The history of Quad formation begins in 2004 when millions of people in many countries including Japan and India were killed due to a tsunami. Following this, India, America, Japan and Australia formed a group to help many countries. This later became Quad. The initiative to formally form the group was taken by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. It was formally formed in 2007. That was the first time a formal meeting of the member countries was held. But after a year, Australia withdrew from the group and then it was put on hold for about a decade.

How did the Quad become active again?

In 2017, Australia’s relations with China began to deteriorate. This provided an opportunity for the revival of the Quad. In 2017, a meeting of the Quad countries was held together with the meeting of the ASEAN countries in Manila. It was attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then US President Donald Trump, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull.