US President Joe Biden hosted the Prime Ministers of India, Australia and Japan for the fourth in-person Quad Leaders Summit in his hometown of Wilmington last week. The summit was considered significant for several reasons. First, it was the last summit to be attended by Biden, a key architect of the group’s institutionalisation, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who played a key role in giving the platform political importance. Second, 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the formation of the group. Third, and most importantly, the Wilmington summit further strengthened the group by expanding key areas of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. In fact, the summit has succeeded in signalling – ‘the Quad is here to stay’.
At a time of highly complex global crises ongoing in various parts of the world, the Quad leaders’ summit took place in a context of significant challenges and important opportunities. With the ongoing wars in Europe and the Middle East, China’s aggressive activities in the Indo-Pacific region, and emerging non-traditional security challenges in the region, this task for the Quad was very important. The Wilmington Declaration – the joint statement of the Quad leaders – adequately addresses these important questions.
Wilmington Statement
The joint statement issued by the leaders of the Quad group in Wilmington reflects continuity in the response to the war in Ukraine, reiterating the urgent need to end the conflict and uphold the spirit of international law. Similarly, this year’s statement expressed concern over the ballistic missile launches carried out by North Korea and the need to prevent the proliferation of nuclear missiles and technologies. Additionally, the Wilmington Declaration also focused on the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The group shared its concerns over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and advocated for a sovereign, viable and independent State of Palestine while being sensitive to Israel’s concerns. Apart from these, the statement also expressed concern over the deteriorating political and humanitarian situation in Myanmar as well as the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
However, China remains the biggest question for the Quad in the context of the Indo-Pacific. On the question of China, the Quad’s response this year seems sharper than in previous years. Earlier, at the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting, the group blamed Beijing – though without naming it – for disregarding international law and taking unilateral actions in the East and South China Sea region. Similarly, the Quad leaders expressed their concern over the growing militarisation in disputed areas of the Indo-Pacific. Responding to tensions in the region, the group condemned the use of coast guards and maritime militia ships as China’s tactics for coercive and intimidating manoeuvres.
Multiple announcements
The summit also provided significant impetus to Quad synergy on maritime safety and security issues in the Indo-Pacific region. A joint coast guard-level cooperation among the four Quad countries proposed at the summit – the Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission – aims to improve interoperability among the coast guard services of the four countries, while furthering cooperation in the field of maritime safety and security. Similarly, responding to the imminent challenges posed by natural disasters and calamities in the Indo-Pacific region, the grouping announced the launch of the ‘Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network’, aimed at advancing shared airlift capabilities to improve cooperation in the field of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) activities.
Additionally, the Quad’s efforts to promote maritime domain awareness through the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) received a significant boost with Australia committing to engage the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency to enhance cooperation, as well as the group proposing a new Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI). The summit also further strengthened its regional partnerships through continued collaboration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). Notably, the Quad Fellowship Program has been expanded to include students from ASEAN countries, reflecting the group’s demonstrated desire to engage regional partners in promoting people-to-people ties.
The many declarations made at this year’s Quad Summit, and the resulting Wilmington Declaration, underscore the group’s enduring promise and relevance. While the Quad continues to respond to critical geopolitical challenges in the world – particularly in the Indo-Pacific – it has also demonstrated a strong positive agenda to harness shared opportunities.
Indeed, the Quad is here to stay in the pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific region – one that is inclusive and resilient.
(Harsh V Pant is vice president of studies at ORF. Sayantan Haldar works with maritime initiatives at ORF)
Disclaimer: These are the personal views of the author