Quad : 4th Ministerial meeting – UPSC GS2

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Fourth Quad Ministerial meeting:
  • Australia hosted India, Japan and the United States for the fourth Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Melbourne.
  • Quad reiterated condemnation of terrorist attacks in India, including the 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot attacks.
  • Quad resolved to speed up the delivery of more than a billion COVID-19 vaccines to be manufactured in India.
  • The Quad reaffirmed a commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific in which states strive to protect the interests of their people, free from coercion.
  • Quad aims to hold a special meeting on climate change in 2022 and to step up efforts to ensure maritime security in the region.
What is the Significance of the 4th Quad Ministerial meeting for India?
  • Technology:
    • India will be benefited from Quad’s work on 5G and Vendor Diversification to maintain a diverse, open and interoperable telecommunication ecosystem.
  • Climate Change:
    • The Quad WG on Climate Change is working on strengthening climate actions through mitigation, adaptation, resilience, technology, capacity-building, and climate finance. This will help India on three pillars-
      • Climate Ambition;
      • Clean Energy Innovation and Deployment;
      • Adaptation, Resilience and Preparedness
    • One of the most promising areas Quad is working on is the Quad Green Shipping Network. It will be significant in greening and decarbonizing the shipping value chain.
    • Quad is also looking at establishing two to three Quad low-emission or zero-emission shipping corridors by 2030.
  • Infrastructure:
    • Quad partners have provided more than USD 48 billion in official finance for infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific region.
    • The Quad Infrastructure Coordination Group (QICG) announced by the Leaders is meeting regularly to share assessments of regional infrastructure.
  • Space:
    • The Quad Space Working Group is discussing the exchange of Earth observation satellite data and analysis to help Indo-Pacific countries for the sustainable use of outer space.
  • Cyber Security:
    • The Quad Senior Cyber Officials group is exchanging best practices that will benefit India to secure critical cyber infrastructure and build resilience against cyber threats.
  • Disaster Management:
    • With the High availability disaster recovery (HADR), Quad countries have responded to many natural disasters in the region.
    • India has proposed strengthening cooperation in this area to deliver timely and effective relief and assistance during disasters such as the recent volcano in Tonga and the COVID pandemic.
  • Education:
    • India has proposed Quad cooperation in the field of higher education to discuss opportunities for student exchanges, joint research.
    • The Quad STEM Fellowships provide 25 graduate/doctoral students from STEM fields from each Quad country with scholarships to study in leading US universities.
Concerns with Quad:
  • Quad countries are divided in their stand on global developments such as Russia-NATO tensions over Ukraine and sanctions against Myanmar’s military.
  • India is concerned with respect to the policy of national sanctions.
  • India is “troubled” by the situation in Myanmar post-coup which is guided by cross-border concerns.
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