India will soon be hosting the Quad meet involving Australia, Japan and the United States and the 2+2 dialogue with the United States. The details are being worked out for the same.
The information regarding the diplomatic engagements was shared by the Ministry of External Affairs at the regular weekly briefing on September 3, 2020.
Quad Grouping
The Quad or quadrilateral security dialogue is a grouping of four democracies - India, Australia, Japan and the United States. Two of the quad countries- Australia and Japan have assured huge investments in India's infrastructure technology and supply chain.
The United States has also hailed India as a big power in India-Pacific and shares an extremely close relationship with it.
Why is the meeting significant?
The Quad meeting and the 2+2 dialogue are taking place at a time when tensions between India and China are high after months of tense border standoff to keep off China's infiltration attempts. As per reports, China will be watching the Quad meeting and 2+2 dialogue very closely as it views this grouping of democratic powers with a sense of alarm.
Why is Quad meet a worry for China?
• While China already has an ongoing border standoff with India, it is also facing immense criticism from the world over its controversial Hong Kong national security law, which is being viewed as trampling of democracy.
• China has also been facing criticism over its alleged human rights violations against the Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. China has also been accused of an alleged breach of internet privacy by India, the US and various other nations.
• China's attempt to alter the status quo at the India-China border in eastern Ladakh, violating all bilateral agreements and protocols, was also condemned by many countries across the world.
• China's increased military aggression in the South China Sea has also sounded an alarm for the nations located in the region.
• Besides this, US President Donald Trump had raised questions over the origin of COVID-19, blaming that it has originated in a Chinese lab in Wuhan. Trump has also referred to coronavirus as the Chinese virus.
• The United States has also imposed restrictions on Chinese diplomats in the country and the Chinese companies dealing with American ones. The US has also almost effectively banned TikTok unless it is sold by its Chinese parent company ByteDance to an American firm.
• India also took a stringent step by banning several major apps that have Chinese links including the popular video-sharing platform TikTok and PUBG. The Indian Railways has also canceled its Chinese investment deal.
Background
India is looking to replace China and become the new products and services hub of the world. This is crucial at this time, as most major powers are growing skeptical about China and its true interests.
Quad: All you need to know! |
• Quad or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue is an informal strategic forum, which was formed initially in 2007 between the United States, Japan, Australia and India. The forum was initiated as dialogue initially by the then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with the support of the then US Vice President Dick Cheney, Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. • The dialogue was further boosted by joint military exercises between the nations- titled Exercise Malabar. The diplomatic arrangement was largely viewed as a response to China's growing economic and military power. China had issued formal diplomatic protects to the members of the forum. • The forum then ceased to exit after change in governments in few of the quad nations. However, India, Japan and the United States continued to hold joint naval exercises through Malabar Exercise. • During the 2017 ASEAN Summit, all four former members rejoined in negotiations to revive the quad alliance. Following the negotiations, Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull, Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, Indian PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump agreed to revive the quad alliance amid tensions in the South China Sea, caused mainly by China and its increased territorial ambitions. |
Comments
All Comments (0)
Join the conversation