Why in news?
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat made a statement about the Quad.
What is the statement?
- The CDS stated that India believes the Quad would ensure ‘Freedom of Navigation Operations’ in the Indian Ocean and surrounding oceans.
- This will be seen as a significant shift of the government’s posture towards the India-US-Australia-Japan Quadrilateral (Quad).
What are the suggestions?
- His suggestion is that India is prepared to join Quad military patrols.
- This marks a departure from India’s earlier reticence and public statements by the leadership.
- The Indian Navy has not taken part in any joint patrols outside the Indian Ocean.
- In terms of the engagement with the Quad, India has not yet announced a decision to include Australia in the annual Malabar exercises.
- [Malabar exercises are held with the U.S. and Japan.]
- However, the move from conducting exercises together to joint operations would take time, something that makes the CDS’s assertion significant.
What is the reference made about China?
- The CDS said that the Quad operations are needed to ensure that no other nation singularly tries to dominate the oceans.
- It is easy to surmise that his contention is a veiled reference to China.
What would be the outcome?
- India is convinced that it needs new strategies to deal with Beijing because of,
- The Line of Actual Control tensions and clashes,
- The PLA’s refusal to implement border agreements.
- Even now, India is engaged with China diplomatically.
- India’s External Affairs Minister and Defence Minister have spoken of the importance of a resolution through talks.
- But, an outcome of the tensions will be a strengthening of India’s ties with global powers as well as formations like the Quad. An indication of this is the government’s plans to host a ministerial-level meeting of the Quad soon.
How did India see the Quad earlier?
- While India considers its options, it is necessary to remember some of the reasons for its reticence in terms of militarising the Quad in any way.
- In 2018, Prime Minister said that India sees the Indo-Pacific as a “geographical concept”, not a “strategy or a club of limited members”.
- It would be important to know whether that formulation has changed.
- India is the only Quad member not already tied in a treaty alliance with the others.
- External Affairs Minister’s statement that India would never be part of any alliance system would run counter to what the CDS suggests.
What is needed?
- India is the only Quad country that shares a land boundary with China.
- It is unclear how the militarisation of the Quad in Indo-Pacific waters would alleviate the territorial threat it faces.
- However, if India’s view of its Quad engagement has shifted, clarity and an expansion of Gen. Rawat’s statement are essential.
Source: The Hindu
