New Delhi: In what is seen as a move to step up cooperation among the Quad grouping, the four-nation bloc is expected to take it further by holding interactions at the level of top security officials to coordinate their posture and specific roles in the Indo-Pacific, top sources said on the plans to scale up cooperation among its members.
Leaders of the United States, India, Japan and Australia held their first summit-level meeting earlier this month signalling that the four countries would continue efforts to build their four-way alliance that is often seen as an emerging bulwark against China. The March 12 summit reviewed common challenges across the Indo-Pacific – especially China’s assertive actions – but didn’t get into the details of these threats since the meeting was being held online.
The challenges posed by China will be taken up by the four leaders when they hold their in-person meeting on the sidelines of the G-7 summit in the United Kingdom or at the invitation of US President Joe Biden later. An in-person meeting of the Quad foreign ministers is also expected this year.
