Why in News?

• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will begin a visit to Australia and attend a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Quad (India, Australia, United States, Japan), which is expected to discuss Cooperation on vaccines, technology and regional security issues including related to China.

Focus Areas of the Meeting:

• To further bolster ties between their countries at all levels of government while finding creative and holistic ways to manage national security risks.
• To facilitate better Coordination on international engagement between national and Subnational officials throughout the four participating countries.

What is Quad Grouping?

• The quadrilateral security dialogue includes Japan, India, United States and Australia.
• All four nations find a common ground of being the democratic nations and common interests of unhindered maritime trade and security.

Historical Background of the Grouping:

• The grouping traces its genesis to 2004 when the four countries came together to coordinate relief operations in the aftermath of the tsunami.
• It then met for the first time in 2007 on the sidelines of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.
• The intention was to Enhance Maritime cooperation between the Four Nations.

Significance of the Grouping:

• Quad is an opportunity for like-minded countries to share notes and collaborate on Projects of Mutual Interest.
• Members share a vision of an open and free Indo-Pacific. Each is involved in development and Economic Projects as well as in Promoting maritime domain awareness and maritime Security.
• It is one of the many avenues for interaction among India, Australia, Japan and the US and should not be seen in an exclusive context.

What are China’s Views on the Quad?

• There is a General understanding that the Quad would not take on a military dimension against any Country. The strategic community in China, nevertheless, had branded it an emerging “Asian NATO”.
• Notably, Japanese former PM Shinzo Abe’s “Confluence of Two Seas” address to the Indian Parliament gave a fresh impetus to the Quad concept. This recognized the Economic rise of India.