The ambition of the QUAD group, formed to counter China's growing influence, appears to be diminishing this year. The objective of this four-nation bloc comprising the United States, India, Japan, and Australia is to maintain peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region, but the likelihood of a QUAD Summit this year has significantly decreased.
QUAD Summit: The QUAD group, formed to counter China's growing influence, no longer holds significant importance. Due to the policies and actions of former US President Donald Trump, this group has been put on the back burner. The possibility of organizing a QUAD Summit this year is now under a cloud of doubt. The reasons include domestic issues within the QUAD nations and trade differences between the US-India and Japan, which could lead to the postponement of the meeting. This time, India was responsible for hosting the meeting.
It is reported that Donald Trump was closely monitoring the potential QUAD meeting in India, but he imposed a 50 percent tariff on India, escalating tensions between the two countries.
Impact of Trump's Policies
India was tasked with hosting this year's meeting. However, US President Trump recently increased tensions between the two nations by imposing a 50 percent tariff on India. This situation has further complicated the prospects of the meeting. Experts suggest that without concrete results in the US-India trade talks, Trump's visit to India in November is unlikely. It is difficult to hold a meeting without basic arrangements like weeks of preparation, security arrangements, hotel, and logistics bookings.
Challenge of Domestic Issues and Bilateral Differences
Domestic issues within each QUAD member nation are also affecting the prospects of this meeting. The United States, India, Japan, and Australia face different political and economic pressures, which are hindering the planning of the meeting. Trade differences between India and the US have also become a major challenge for this summit. Experts suggest that if these differences are not resolved, the summit may have to be postponed.
No Meeting in New York Either
Last month, bilateral meetings of the foreign ministers of QUAD nations took place in New York during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), but no formal QUAD meeting was held during this time. This indicates that preparations for this year's summit are still incomplete. According to sources, basic arrangements for the conference, such as hotel bookings, security protocols, and media coverage, have not yet been finalized. This is why it is proving difficult to achieve the expected outcomes from this year's summit.
