15 April 2025, NIICE Commentary 10216
Sahana G S
The origins of the QUAD—a group comprising the United States, Japan, India, and Australia—can be traced back to the “Tsunami Core Group,” an informal coalition formed in response to the devastating 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. This group, described as a “new type of diplomacy,” brought together the four countries best positioned to rapidly deliver humanitarian aid. Although the Core Group dissolved after the immediate crisis passed, it proved that these nations could effectively collaborate on regional challenges. The idea of this quadrilateral alliance later took on an ideological dimension when Shinzo Abe, during his 2006 campaign, introduced the concept of an “Arc of Freedom and Prosperity.” The QUAD’s regional framework began to solidify in December 2006, when Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during a visit to Tokyo, issued a joint statement with Japan expressing a shared desire to engage with other “like-minded countries” in the Asia-Pacific to address common interests. However, the QUAD remained dormant until 2017.
After a decade of relationship building and strategic alignment, conditions were ripe in 2017 for the QUAD to be revived. Shinzo Abe, who had initially championed the concept, returned to power in 2012 and quickly advocated for a “democratic security diamond” —essentially a rebranded QUAD 2.0. Momentum built steadily and culminated in October 2017, when U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono proposed restarting the quadrilateral dialogue. This led to a meeting of representatives from the U.S., Japan, India, and Australia—at the assistant secretary level in Manila on November 12, 2017. Held on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit, the discussions covered a broad range of topics, including North Korea’s denuclearization, support for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” and the promotion of a rules-based regional order. Since that initial 2017 meeting, the QUAD has continued to hold biannual senior official-level dialogues.
QUAD and the Balance of Power in the Indo Pacific Region
One of the most significant theoretical frameworks in the study of international relations and diplomacy is the idea of balance of power. It has improved the understanding of the structural framework of alliance systems and international politics among scholars and diplomats. The core idea of the balance of power theory is that countries would form alliances in order to oppose a hegemonic or dominant state that threatens the security of other countries. Countries use external alignment to protect their own security in anarchic societies. By means of balancing, countries endeavour to maintain the existing order against a power that could potentially affect their security.
The emergence of China has significantly reshaped the geopolitical dynamics of the twenty-first century. This shift has given rise to a newly defined geographical area—the Indo-Pacific— which many contend serves as a counterbalance to limit China's assertive movements towards becoming a global leader. The idea of the Indo-Pacific was initially introduced by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007 during his state visit to India, referred to as the "confluence of two seas." However, the importance of this concept gained further traction following the implementation of the US Indo-Pacific strategy in 2017 under President Donald Trump. In this context, the balance of power theory enhances our understanding of the existing security framework in the Indo-Pacific.
China’s increasing military and strategic strength has made India more concerned about its own security. At the same time, China’s relationship with Australia has become tense. Similarly, China’s ties with Japan have worsened because of a territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. The balance of power in the Indo-Pacific mainly focuses on China’s rise and the security challenges it poses to other major countries. In this context, the renewed importance of the Quad supports the overall structure of maintaining balance in the region.
QUAD’s Role in the Indo-Pacific Security
The Indo-Pacific region faces several security challenges, including territorial disputes, threats to freedom of navigation, and risks like terrorism and cyberattacks. One of the QUAD’s main goals is to enhance maritime security. Member countries participate in joint naval exercises like the Malabar exercise, which aim to protect freedom of navigation and prevent coercion in contested areas, particularly in the South China Sea. QUAD Leaders launched the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) at the 2022 QUAD Leaders’ Summit in Tokyo. QUAD announced a new regional Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI) to enable partners to maximize tools provided through IPMDA and other QUAD partner initiatives, to monitor and secure their waters, enforce their laws, and deter unlawful behaviour.
Counterterrorism is another key focus of the QUAD’s agenda. Member countries share intelligence, conduct joint training exercises, and work together to fight terrorism and extremist groups. The counterterrorism efforts are effective in improving regional security and encouraging cooperation beyond military partnerships. QUAD also aims to strengthen economic resilience and technological cooperation, which are important for stability and growth. The QUAD addresses issues like supply chain security, infrastructure development, and partnerships in technology, including cybersecurity and emerging technologies like 5G and artificial intelligence. It also plays a role in broader regional cooperation and diplomacy. The partnership supports ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) by aligning its security efforts with ASEAN’s goals and strengthening regional frameworks.
The future of QUAD in the Indo-Pacific Region
The increasing defence expenditures of China and the QUAD countries are reshaping the strategic landscape in the Indo-Pacific, potentially setting the stage for an arms race. , have also begun expanding their defence budgets in response to China's growing military presence. This escalation is contributing to a classic security dilemma, where the defence buildup of one state drives similar actions by others, increasing the risk of conflict. China has also referred to QUAD as the Asian NATO. However, QUAD is not a military alliance. The External Minister of India Dr. Jaishankar has also dismissed the notion that calling the QUAD as an Asian NATO is quite misleading, and China’s military spending is more than Japan and Australia’s combined. India is also reluctant to join a treaty -based security alliance. Hence, it is not an Asian NATO.
To conclude, the QUAD's success hinges on maintaining cohesion among its members, managing varying national interests, and balancing ties with China, which perceives the alliance as a challenge to its interests. Despite these obstacles, the QUAD remains a key element in shaping the future of the Indo-Pacific, promoting regional stability and supporting a rules-based international order.
Sahana G S is a Research Intern at NIICE, and she is currently pursuing her M.A. in International Relations at Loyola College, Chennai, India.
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