INDO PACIFIC : IMPLICATIONS FOR INDIA AND QUAD.

.The idea of QUAD was initially proposed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.And   the quadrilateral security and strategic forum between USA, Japan  Australia and India was formed in 2007 which became  functional only after the  negotiations in  2017   in the  sidelines of ASEAN Summit  in Manila  Eventually QUAD partners have been working side by side with fellow partners throughout the region to booster maritime security, improve maritime domain awareness, and uphold need for free and  open rules based order rooted in international law in Indo Pacific  .The QUAD is aiming at promoting both regional security and economic cooperation in the Indo Pacific region. In fact the four countries share a common interest in maintaining a free and open Indo- Pacific promoting democracy, human rights and rule of law, and also countering China's expanding influence in the region.While there was growing concern about China's economic coercion and assertive military activities that brought the  group together further broadening of QUAD's agenda to vaccines ,climate change, emerging technologies Artificial Intelligence etc has sought to reduce regional criticism  that the QUAD is an anti  China coalition . The QUAD is viewed as a balancing mechanism for balancing China's growing influence in the region. Infact  QUAD members have already stressed that it is not a military alliance and is open to other countries as well who share their values and interests. So far the QUAD held several meetings both  at Ministerial and leader's levels discussing a range of issues comprising of  mainly maritime security, infrastructure development and supply chain resilience. 

Theoretically Indo Pacific comprises of the tropical waters of Indian Ocean, the Western and Central Pacific Ocean and the seas connecting the two.Indo Pacific comprises of 40 countries ranging from Australia, Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Combodia Korea India Indonesia Malaysia Myanmar Malaysia Nepal New Zealand Pacific island countries to China The region is rich marine habitats, especially high species, coral reefs etc.  In fact the Indo Pacific concept was primarily mooted and gathered  momentum as a geopolitical challenge by USA towards China. In the widest sense the Indo Pacific region encompasses mainland African and  Asian Nations who borders  these oceans  with India,  South Africa, Ocean territories Seychelles, Japan,  Russia,Australia, Canada Mexico and ASEAN countries which are considered as the geographical centre of political Indo Pacific. Indo Pacific has been increasingly used since the late 2010s in geopolitical discourse and gradually it emerged as a symbiotic link  of QUAD or quadrilateral security dialogue  in the grouping between Australia, Japan, India and USA. It has  also been observed that the Indo Pacific was a concept developed by strategists, and it gained momentum in international relations as a geopolitical challenge by the US  toward China.As mentioned by Prime Minister " India's vision of an open ,stable, secure and prosperous Indo Pacific Region" around depend on several key ideas  " a free  open,inclusive region, which embraces  us  all in a common pursuit of  progress and prosperity. It includes all nations In this geography as also others beyond who have stake in it "

Disussions in QUAD significantly focussed on issues like rebalancing,multipolarity,plurilateralism ,supply chain challenges,need for much more trust and transparency in global relations .India has to achieve regionalism in the midst of voltatility  much more rapidly. Infrastructure development and connectivity, regionalisation, India China relationship etc are key to  the multipolarity world. After Gulf India Corridor definitely the Gulf region will will have better connectivity. Changes in Indo  US ties is highly strategic to the transformation. Indo Russia position is another strategic reallocation in the QUAD  diplomacy and, trade and strategic technological change. Both regionalism and multipolarity can be effectively supplemented with effective intervention of organisations like QUAD, BRICS ,SCO etc. Regional integration through development of infrastructure, combating the climate crisis, coordinating on emerging technologies, space and cyber security;buttresed by next generation of science, technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) talent etc can effectively utilised by  QUAD countries. Such working Groups take a long term view and and goals to supplement existing national efforts to revitalize  Indo Pacific prosperity, security and technological advantages. 

In short QUAD coordination fills the gap by addressing  how science, technology, industry, and supply chains  are increasingly connected to security and defence issues. This has led to mapping of QUAD members' capabilities and vulnerabilities in semi conductor supply chains, cooperation on securing mobile networks and diversification of supplies exploration and cooperation with concerned industries. Another significant observation is that India could not share the view of the new Japanese Prime Minister that "QUAD and other alliances involving Japan is eventually planning to transform it into a Asian NATO like structure to deter China from using it's military force.On the contrary India is determined to pursue  a multialigned policy without any strategic architecture, at the same time aiming to achieve a global rebalanced structure accelerated by globalisation. It remains a reality that as  categorically observed by Sanjeev Sanyal advisor PMEAC recently that no country can do without China. Our trade data also showed that India imported nearly $ 36 billion worth of  goods  for the period April-July 2024. Imports from China constituted 15.5% of our total global imports.In other words we have to make appropriate and realistic policy changes so as to achieve both collaboration and competition without ignoring security considerations with other countries especially among the neighbours.