SIGNALLING A closer alignment with other partners, India Thursday officially used the term “Quad” for the first time to describe its grouping with the US, Australia and Japan, which is increasingly being seen as a possible counterweight to China‘s aggressive moves in the region.
India’s reference to “Quad” came in its official statement after a video conference of the group’s Foreign Ministers where New Delhi underlined its “commitment to upholding a rules-based international order, underpinned by respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, rule of law, transparency, freedom of navigation in the international seas and peaceful resolution of disputes” — a line seen as a reference to China’s moves.
While the US and Australia have always termed the grouping as “Quad”, the Ministry of External Affairs had so far been reluctant to use the term, referring instead to such interactions as a “meeting of the four countries”.
The US, too, flagged a “free and open Indo-Pacific region, including support for freedom of navigation and territorial integrity” in a statement similar to Delhi’s but less elaborate. (File Photo/Representational)
SIGNALLING A closer alignment with other partners, India Thursday officially used the term “Quad” for the first time to describe its grouping with the US, Australia and Japan, which is increasingly being seen as a possible counterweight to China‘s aggressive moves in the region.
India’s reference to “Quad” came in its official statement after a video conference of the group’s Foreign Ministers where New Delhi underlined its “commitment to upholding a rules-based international order, underpinned by respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, rule of law, transparency, freedom of navigation in the international seas and peaceful resolution of disputes” — a line seen as a reference to China’s moves.
While the US and Australia have always termed the grouping as “Quad”, the Ministry of External Affairs had so far been reluctant to use the term, referring instead to such interactions as a “meeting of the four countries”.