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4^th QUAD ministerial meeting held in Melbourne.

What is the news:

4th quad ministerial meeting is held in Melbourne.
From india External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar participated in the 4th QuadForeign Ministers’ meeting.
Australia is hosting India, Japan and the United States for the fourth Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting and the top diplomats are seeking to bolster cooperation in areas including economy, security, coronavirus pandemic and free and open Indo-Pacific.
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is a partnership of four nations, each of whom shares a commitment to openness, transparency and challenges coming out of the current global order.
The foreign ministers of the Quad grouping of India, the US, Australia and Japan on Friday vowed to work vigorously to achieve the grouping’s shared vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and collectively deal with common threats such as terrorism.
They held their fourth Quad ministerial meeting in Melbourne on also February 11, 2022, resolved to boost up delivery of more than billion Covid vaccines to be manufactured in India, step efforts to ensure maritime security in the region and to hold a special meet on climate change in 2022.
They also announced plans for a Quad summit including PM Modi, Australian PM Morrison and U.S. President Biden. The summit would be hosted in first half of 2022, by Japan’s PM Kishida in Tokyo.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Australia’s Marise Payn held the talks in Melbourne.

What is QUAD:

Known as the ‘Quadrilateral Security Dialogue’ (QSD), the Quad is an informal strategic forum comprising four nations, namely — United States of America (USA), India, Australia and Japan. One of the primary objectives of the Quad is to work for a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
The group met for the first time in 2007 on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It is considered an alliance of maritime democracies, and the forum is maintained by meetings, semi-regular summits, information exchanges and military drills of all the member countries.
The core objective of the Quad is, to secure a rules-based global order, freedom of navigation and, a liberal trading system.
The coalition also aims to offer, alternative debt financing for nations in the Indo-Pacific region.

Formation of QUAD

Since its establishment in 2007, the representatives for the four-member nations have met periodically. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was the first to pitch the idea for the formation of Quad in 2007.
In fact, its origins can be traced back to the evolution of Exercise Malabar and the 2004 Tsunami when India conducted relief and rescue operations for itself and neighbouring countries and was later joined by the US, Japan and Australia. Therefore, China issued formal diplomatic protests to the members of the Quad.

Australia’s withdrawal

However, Australia withdrew from the forum due to the political pressure from the Chinese government and in the wake of the growing conflict between the US and China in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2010, enhanced military cooperation between the US and Australia was resumed, leading to Australia’s comeback to the Quad’s naval exercises.
In 2012, the Japanese PM emphasised the idea of Asia’s ‘Democratic Security Diamond’ comprising the US, Japan, India and Australia. It was in 2017 when the first official talks under the Quad took place in the Philippines.

Principles of Quad

The motive behind the Quad is to keep the strategic sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any military or political influence.
It is basically seen as a strategic grouping to reduce Chinese domination.
The core objective of the Quad is to secure a rules-based global order, freedom of navigation and a liberal trading system. The coalition also aims to offer alternative debt financing for nations in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Quad leaders exchange views on contemporary global issues such as critical and emerging technologies, connectivity and infrastructure, cyber security, maritime security, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, climate change, pandemic and education.

Significance of Quad for India

It is believed that the forum strategically counters China’s economic and military rise.
Interestingly, if Chinese hostilities rise on the borders, India can take the support of the other Quad nations to counter the communist nation.
In addition, India can even take the help of its naval front and conduct strategic explorations in the Indo-Pacific region.