What is the Quad?

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is a strategic forum comprising India, the United States, Japan, and Australia. It was first proposed by Japanese PM Shinzo Abe in 2007 and operationalised briefly before being disbanded in 2008 (after Australia withdrew under PM Kevin Rudd). The Quad was revived in November 2017 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Manila.

The Quad was elevated to a Leaders' Summit format in March 2021 (virtual), followed by the first in-person summit in Washington DC (September 2021). It focuses on a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific and operates through working groups on vaccines, climate, critical technologies, maritime security, cybersecurity, and space.

The Quad is not a military alliance — it has no mutual defence treaty. It is a values-based partnership committed to international law, freedom of navigation, and a rules-based order. India has consistently emphasised the Quad's constructive, non-adversarial character.

Key Features

# Feature Details
1 Members India, USA, Japan, Australia
2 Originated 2007, proposed by PM Shinzo Abe
3 Revived November 2017, Manila (ASEAN Summit sidelines)
4 Leaders' Summit Since March 2021 (first virtual); annual format
5 Not a Military Alliance No mutual defence treaty; values-based partnership
6 Working Groups Vaccines, Climate, Critical & Emerging Technologies, Cybersecurity, Maritime Security, Space
7 Quad Fellowship STEM scholarship programme for 100 students per year from all 4 nations
8 Maritime Domain Awareness Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) launched 2022

Current Status / Latest Developments

  • The 10th Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held in Washington DC on 1 July 2025. Ministers condemned the Pahalgam terror attack (22 April 2025) and called for perpetrators to be brought to justice.
  • EAM S. Jaishankar confirmed (February 2026) that the Quad Leaders' Summit is "not cancelled" but has not been formally scheduled yet for 2026.
  • The Quad at the Crossroads: under the Trump 2.0 administration, there is debate about whether the US will sustain Quad momentum. However, the January 2025 joint statement reaffirmed commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
  • IPMDA (Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness) — sharing satellite-based vessel tracking data with Indo-Pacific partners — is now operational.
  • The Quad Vaccine Partnership delivered over 500 million doses (manufactured in India by Biological E) to Indo-Pacific nations.
  • India hosted the Quad Leaders' Summit in Wilmington, Delaware (September 2024) under the Biden administration.

UPSC Exam Corner

Prelims: Key Facts

  • Members: India, USA, Japan, Australia
  • Proposed: 2007 by Shinzo Abe; revived: 2017
  • Leaders' Summit: Since 2021
  • Not a military alliance — no mutual defence clause
  • IPMDA: Maritime domain awareness initiative (2022)
  • Quad Fellowship: 100 STEM scholarships/year
  • Malabar Exercise: Originally India-US bilateral; Japan (2015) and Australia (2020) joined — now a Quad naval exercise

Mains: Probable Themes

  1. "Is the Quad a military alliance or a constructive partnership? Discuss India's perspective."
  2. "Evaluate the Quad's role in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific."
  3. "How does the Quad balance between strategic deterrence and inclusive regionalism?"
  4. "Assess the impact of changing US administrations on the future of the Quad."

Sources: Britannica — The Quad | US State Dept — 2025 Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting | The Week — Quad Summit Not Cancelled