New Delhi: While the tension with China is at its peak, there are indications that the meeting of Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) with participation from India, the United States, Japan and Australia will be held soon. Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a telephonic discussion on Thursday night. Following the discussion, Foreign Minister Jaishankar informed that along with the other issues, even the future of QUAD was featured in the discussions. The mentioning of QUAD in the talks between the two countries becomes significant. Since the analysts think that if the QUAD associates make united efforts, China can be easily reined in.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar had a long and extensive discussion. Foreign Minister Jaishankar tweeted that issues like cooperation regarding Coronavirus, challenges in Afghanistan and Indo-Pacific and other matters were discussed. S Jaishankar informed that the future meeting of QUAD was also featured in the discussion. At the same time, US Secretary of State, Pompeo, while underlining the bilateral relations, said that India and the United States are together for a secured Indo-Pacific sector so that equal opportunity for prosperity is available to all the countries of the region.
The spokesman of the US Department of State also revealed information regarding the discussions between the two leaders. The US Department of State said that the two leaders discussed QUAD and Two Plus Two talks between the two countries, along with the international and regional issues. Since the Chinese betrayal in Galwan Valley, the US Secretary of State and the Indian Foreign Minister are in continuous contact. US Secretary of State Pompeo and Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar had a telephonic discussion even on 22nd of July. It is evident from this that the Indo-US cooperation is becoming more comprehensive.
Currently, the United States has opened a major front against China. The United States is taking aggressive decisions one after the other. The United States has openly adopted a policy of conflict to stop China. It has increased the pressure on China by deploying warships in the South China Sea and rising patrolling in that region. It has also blown the war trumpet against China by declaring support to all the countries having a border dispute with China. Following the Galwan Valley conflict, India too has become aggressive against China and is delivering successive economic jolts to China. India has given an appropriate message to China by increasing deployment in the Indian Ocean and the Indo-China border. Now, India seems to have issued a fresh warning with the mentioning of QUAD.
Analysts believe that the QUAD countries should strategize against China and India should play a more active role in QUAD. Last month, Alice Wells, Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia, also made an appeal to India on similar lines. China opposes the QUAD cooperation and says that India should not give up its non-aligned status. Although India is a part of QUAD, it has not taken an active role in the cooperation so far. India had also avoided taking an open stand against China. As per analysts, this is the reason that India had been preventing the inclusion of Australia in the Malabar war exercises held jointly between India, the United States and Japan.
But now, the Indian stand is changing. It has been reported that the Australian inclusion in the Malabar exercises is almost inevitable. India is delivering a message to China through the stand that the South China Sea region does not belong to any single country and the war exercises will be jointly held with Japan and after that with the United States near the Strait of Malacca. Therefore, as per analysts, the discussion between the US Secretary of State and the Indian Foreign Minister becomes exceptionally vital, and it indicates that henceforth, India will be playing a more active role in the QUAD Cooperation.
Related posts:
ISRO’s Historical feat – Launches 104 satellites in one go
India and United States should take up joint defence projects: appeals a former US official
Indian campaign against terrorism gets aggressive
US industry sector welcomes the Indian budget
India need not worry about the aid given by the US to Pakistan, asserts US official
US State Secretary to visit India against the background of the trade war
India-US relations scaling new heights, claims US State Secretary
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on US visit for Two-Plus-Two talks
