Anti-China Quadrilateral with role for India remains alive, says US

Sandeep Dikshit
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 13

The US has suggested that the “Quadrilateral”, a grouping of four democracies that purports to take on China in the disputed South China Sea, is alive.

“Recognising that the US and India share complementary visions for the Indo-Pacific, they agreed to deepen cooperation toward their joint goals in the region, including in conjunction with other Indo-Pacific partners,” said a US State Department readout after a meeting between Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale in Washington.

The Indian read-out too said both sides “agreed to work with each other and regional partners to promote inclusivity, stability, peace and prosperity in the region”.

The affirmation of Indo-US synergy on Indo-Pacific along with other partners comes a fortnight after a US Admiral appeared pessimistic about the future of the “Quad”, a US-led grouping that includes India in the second prominent role besides Japan and Australia.

The Quad has had a fitful existence for over a decade and intends to preserve the existing order in the main sea lanes of communication in the region. Its sole military outing together was in 2007 but officials have kept it alive at the political level.

The Indian readout further said the two sides “exchanged views on building convergences in the Indo-Pacific”. The emphasis on Indo-Pacific comes shortly after the US twice sent long-range bombers over the disputed shoals in South China Sea.

The Indian statement also said both sides called on Pakistan to meaningfully address the concerns of the international community on terrorism, including cross-border terrorism. But there was no mention of India’s number one priority in the US. 

Gokhale and Hale discussed counterterrorism cooperation and many global issues, including the situation in Afghanistan, N Korea, Iran and Venezuela. They decided to intensify work on advancing initiatives undertaken as part of the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue process.