Source: The Hindu
- Prelims: Current events of international importance, Regional forums(QUAD, NATO, East Asia Summit etc)
- Mains GS Paper II: Significance of US’ Indo-Pacific strategy, Indo-Pacific Region,Free and open Indo-Pacific, International organizations.
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
- The recent summit meeting of the leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue(Quad), could not have come at a more critical juncture in world politics.
- The U.S.President and Japanese Prime Minister were blunt in their condemnation of Russia’s Belligerence, Indian Prime Minister Australian Prime Minister avoided any direct reference to Moscow, as indeed did the summit’s joint statement.
- However on China, the four nations were on the same page, and the Quad joint statement called for continued cooperation towards maintaining a free and open Indo Pacific.
INSIGHTS ON THE ISSUE
Context
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue(QUAD):
- It is the informal strategic dialogue between India, USA, Japan and Australia with a shared objective to ensure and support a “free, open and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region.
- In November 2017, India, the US, Australia and Japan gave shape to the long-pending “Quad” Coalition to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence (especially China).
- In 2021, Quad countries issued a “Spirit of the Quad” joint statement promoting a free, open rules-border, rooted in international law to advance security and combat threats both in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
- Unlike NATO, the Quad does not include provisions for collective defense, instead choosing to conduct joint military exercises as a show of unity and diplomatic cohesion.
- Quad members have also indicated a willingness to expand the partnership through a so-called Quad Plus that would include South Korea, New Zealand, and Vietnam amongst others.
- cooperation identified during the QUAD summit in 2021, including climate change, critical and emerging technologies, counter-terrorism, infrastructure, Humanitarian-Assistance and Disaster-Relief (HADR) and maritime domain awareness.
- The QUAD is pursuing work on 5G technology and vendor diversification to maintain a diverse, open and interoperable telecommunication ecosystem through collaboration with like-minded partners.
- 3C strategy of QUAD
Initiatives during 4th Quad Summit 2022:
- Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA):Formation of the IPMDA will build a “faster, wider, and more accurate maritime picture of near-real-time activities in partners’ waters.”
- Quad Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Package (Q-CHAMP): It will help green shipping and foster the idea of a “shared green corridor”with “mitigation” and “adaptation” as its two pillars.
- Quad Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR): To increase the humanitarian footprint in the region, the leaders announced the establishment of the Quad Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) in the Indo-Pacific region.
- Quad decided to enhance sharing data as part of the “Quad Satellite Data Portal” that will enhance cooperation among the satellites of the member countries.
- The summit welcomed the progress made regarding the J&J vaccine production at the Biological E labs in India under the Quad Vaccine Partnership.
- The launch of the Quad Fellowship which will intensify people-to-people contact and foster academic exchanges. Under the scheme, 100 students from the member countries will travel to the US each year to pursue graduate studies in STEM fields.
Issues addressed in The Quad summit 2022
- China and the Solomon Islands
- China and Taiwan
- North Korea Missiles
- Ukraine and Russia
Challenges associated:
- China’s Territorial Claims: China claims that it has historical ownership over nearly the entire region of South China Sea, which gives it the right to manufacture islands. However, the International Court of Arbitration rejected the claim in 2016.
- China’s Closeness to ASEAN: The ASEAN countries also have a well-knit relationship with China. The Regional Cooperation Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a recent example of China’s increasing influence over ASEAN nations.
- Economic Power of China: Considering the economic might of China and the dependence of Quad nations like Japan and Australia on China, the Quad nations cannot afford to have strained relations with it.
- Convergence among Quad Nations: The nations in the Quad grouping have different aspirations, aimed at balancing their own interest. Therefore, coherence in the vision of Quad nation as a grouping is absent.
significance of Indo-Pacific region for India:
- Strategic significance: The Indo-Pacific is a multipolar region that accounts for over half of global GDP and population.
- Mineral Resources: Maritime regions have also become important storage areas for essential resources such as fish stocks, minerals, and offshore oil and gas.
- Economic Growth: The Indo-Pacific area accounts for approximately 60% of world GDP, making it the most important contributor to global growth.
- Commerce: Many of the world’s most important choke points for global trade are located in this region, including the Straits of Malacca, which are crucial for global economic growth.
| Spirit of the Quad:
It includes the group’s primary objectives: ● Maritime security ● Combating the Covid-19 crisis, especially vis-à-vis vaccine diplomacy ● Addressing the risks of climate change ● Creating an ecosystem for investment in the region ● Boosting technological innovation.
Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA): ● It is a satellite-based maritime security system aiming for a “fundamental requirement for peace, stability, and prosperity” in the Indo-Pacific region. ● It will integrate three critical regions of the Pacific Islands – Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean region – and allow tracking of “dark shipping” and other “tactical activities”. ● The maritime system will also improve the partners’ ability to respond to climate and humanitarian events and protect their fisheries – a vital need for many Indo-Pacific economies. Dark ships ● They are vessels with their Automatic Identification System (AIS) – a transponder system – switched off so as not to be detectable. ● The new maritime initiative by Quad will enable these countries to monitor illegal fishing even when the boats have turned off the transponders which are typically used to track vessels. Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) ● It was announced in 2021 to set regional standards for cooperation, and includes the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states. ● IPEF is created to encourage regional economies to “decouple” from the Chinese market by leading them to alternative supply chains. ● The IPEF will not include market access commitments such as lowering tariff barriers, as the agreement is “more of an Administrative arrangement”. ● IPEF is viewed as reflecting the US’ ambitions to expand ties with key Indo-Pacific economies by building a supply chain that excludes China. ● It has four “pillars” of work: 1. Fair and resilient trade. 2. Supply chain resilience. 3. Infrastructure, clean energy, and decarbonization. 4. Tax and anti-corruption. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ● Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium. ● It is a military alliance established by the North Atlantic Treaty (also called the Washington Treaty) of April, 1949, by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union. ● There are currently 30 member states. ● NATO’s essential and enduring purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security of all its members by political and military means. ● NATO has an integrated military command structure but very few forces or assets are exclusively its own. ● NATO participates in three alliances: 1. Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) 2. Mediterranean Dialogue 3. Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI)
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Way Forward
- Quad is in pole position to shape economic alliances and regional security architecture towards a new world order based on national interest and realpolitik.
- Indo Pacific is a strategic space which offers a number of challenges and opportunities for India and all other stakeholders.
- Appropriate diplomatic maneuvering and economic and military assertion is vital for the implementation of India’s interests in the region along with leveraging the space as a building block for a multipolar world order.
- It will also deepen USA its regional treaty alliances and work with groups such as ASEAN, the European Union (EU) and NATO.
QUESTION FOR PRACTICE
Indo Pacific has emerged as a vital space in the international arena. Discuss the significance of Indo-Pacific for India along with recent initiatives to emerge as an important player in the Indo Pacific region. (200 WORDS, 10 MARKS)
