Quad brings together four countries—India, Australia, Japan, and the US—with a commitment to support an open, free, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. QUAD’s initiatives are aimed at complementing the region’s development priorities, accelerating the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals, and delivering public goods to countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

The QUAD operates through meetings, summits, information sharing, and joint military exercises. Akashvani’s correspondent reports that the motive behind the Quad is to keep the strategic sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any military or political influence. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or QUAD, was proposed by the then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007. It fell dormant for a decade and was resurrected in 2017, with a Joint Working Meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit. Quad saw a natural evolution and elevation in 2021, with the first Quad Leaders’ Summit taking place in virtual format on 12 March that year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated along with his counterparts from Australia, Japan, and the US to discuss regional and global issues, especially the Indo-Pacific. The Quad Leaders Summit later tonight will be the sixth summit between the leaders. India’s participation in the QUAD also aligns with its “Act East” policy and Prime Minister Modi’s vision of deeper engagement with East Asian nations. India is all set to host the QUAD Summit next year.