India's nuanced approach to Quad GS: 2 "EMPOWER IAS"

 

Context:

• The outcomes of the recently concluded first Quad Summit in the context of India.

 

Background

• Recently, the US and China met at a high-level summit in Alaska.
• This high-level summit was preceded by the first Leaders’ Summit of the QUAD that was held on March 12.
• During the QUAD leaders’ summit, a number of issues over china were raised by the QUAD members. Such as
  • • China’s coercion of Australia.
    • China’s harassment around the Senkaku Islands.
    • Furthermore, China’s aggression on the border with India.
• The above concerns were directly passed on to the Chinese diplomats by the U.S. during the Alaska summit.
• Further, during the QUAD leaders’ summit, all countries agreed to establish 3C’s” working groups (on COVID-19 vaccines, Climate Change and Critical Technology).
• The outcomes of the QUAD leaders’ summit i.e.,  the establishment of 3C’s” working groups and offensive stand on China, are well in the interest of Japan and Australia. However, the outcomes are not supportive of India’s interest.

 

Message to China after Quad summit

• The first Learders’ Summit of the Quadrilateral Framework was held on March 12.
• This Summit conveyed a three-pronged message to China:
• Under the new U.S. President, “America is back” in terms of its desire to play a leading role in other regions.
• It views China as its primary challenger for that leadership.
• The Quad partnership is ready to mount a counter-challenge, albeit in “soft-power” terms at present, in order to do so.
• For both Japan and Australia the outcomes of the summit, both in terms of the “3C’s”working groups established on COVID-19 vaccines, Climate Change and Critical Technology and in terms of this messaging to the “4th C” (China) are very welcome.

 

Outcomes of Quad Summit for India

• For India the outcomes of the Quad Summit need more nuanced analysis.

1) COVID-19 Vaccine

• India is not only the world’s largest manufacturer of vaccines (by number of doses produced, it has already exported 58 million doses to nearly 71 countries.
• It is also manufacturing a billion doses for South East Asia (under the Quad), over and above its current international commitments.
• India has also planned to vaccinate 300 million people as originally planned by September.
• All this comes down to total 1.8 billion doses which will require a major ramp up in capacity and funding, and will bear testimony to the power of Quad cooperation, if realised.
• However, the effort could have been made much easier had India’s Quad partners also announced dropping their opposition to India’s plea at the World Trade Organization.
• India had filed the plea along with South Africa in October 2020, seeking waiver from certain provisions of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights for the prevention, containment and treatment of COVID-19.

2) Climate change

• On climate change, India has welcomed the return of the U.S. to the Paris accord.
• Mr. Biden has promised to restart the U.S.’s funding of the global Green Climate Fund, which Mr. Trump ended.
• India still awaits a large part of the $1.4 billion commitment by the U.S. to finance solar technology in 2016.
• Mr. Biden might also consider joining the International Solar Alliance, which the other Quad members are a part of, but the U.S.

3) Critical technology

• India will welcome any assistance in reducing its dependence on Chinese telecommunication equipment and in finding new sources of rare-earth minerals.
• India would oppose Quad partners weighing in on international rule-making on the digital economy, or data localisation.
• Such a move had led New Delhi to walk out of the Japan-led “Osaka track declaration” at the G-20 in 2019.

4) Dealing with China

• On this issue, it is still unclear how India can go on the Quad’s intended outcomes.
• While India shares the deep concerns and the tough messaging set out by the Quad on China, especially after the year-long stand-off at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the killings at Galwan that India has faced, it has demurred from any non-bilateral statement on it.
• India is the only Quad member not a part of the military alliance that binds the other members.
• India is also the only Quad country with a land boundary with China.
• And it is the only Quad country which lives in a neighbourhood where China has made deep inroads.
• Indian officials are still engaged in LAC disengagement talks and have a long way to go to de-escalation or status quo ante.

 

Why the outcomes of the QUAD leaders’ summit are not in India’s interest?

1. The QUAD leaders failed to support India’s plea in WTO during the QUAD leaders’ summit.
   • • India along with South Africa has made a proposal in WTO to waive certain provisions of the TRIPS agreement.
     • A waiver will help India to increase its capacity and funding for vaccine production and manage covid crisis effectively.
     • Further, it will aid global efforts to fight the Covid19 crisis. Because India is the world’s largest manufacturer of vaccines.it has already exported 58 million doses to nearly 71 countries worldwide.
     • However, QUAD member countries didn’t show any interest in dropping their opposition to India’s WTO proposal.
2. The commitments made by the U. S to assist India in climate change are not yet implemented. For example,
   • • In 2016, the US agreed to fund $1.4 billion to finance solar technology. Yet, the funds have not reached India.
     • Similarly, the US has not joined the International Solar Alliance, founded by India and France, which they committed to join in 2016.
     • Against this backdrop, the establishment of a working group on climate change will be of the least interest to India.
3. The working group set up to cooperate on critical technologies will benefit India in 2 cases. If it helps in reducing the dependence on Chinese telecom equipment and in finding new sources of rare-earth minerals.
   • • But any move by QUAD partners for international rule-making on the digital economy, or data localization will not be accepted by India.
4. QUAD’s tough stand on China will have a major impact on India. For example, a year-long stand-off at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This is because;
   • • India is the only Quad member not a part of the military alliance.
     • India is the only Quad country with a land boundary with China.
     • China has made deep inroads along the LAC.
5. Also, the violence at the LAC has also left three long-term impacts on Indian strategic planning.
   • • Need to increase more resources, troops, infrastructure to the LAC to secure the LAC.
     • The possibility of a two-front situation becoming a major territorial threat.
     • Need to prioritize territorial security as against the QUAD’s perception of strengthening Maritime security.

 

Way forward

• The posture of viewing QUAD as anti-china has been changed. This is a welcome development from India’s side.
• Despite last week’s Quad Summit, India’s choices for its Quad strategy will be in line with India’s principle of Strategic Autonomy. India will maintain cordial relations along with its territorial neighbours and close friendships with other democracies, the U.S., Japan and Australia.