The QUAD is an informal strategic alliance between the US, Japan, Australia, and India that was first proposed in 2007 but originated following joint relief efforts after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. While intended as an indirect counter to China's growing power, China issued protests that caused Australia to withdraw briefly. The QUAD was reinstated in 2017 and currently aims to uphold international maritime law and facilitate economic cooperation, especially regarding vaccine production, though China has warned nations not to join what it views as an anti-China alliance.

1. QUAD- Asian NATO
or Maritime Security
Alliance?
—Shafqat and Shams

2. QUAD (The Quadrilateral Security
Dialogue) is an informal strategic
dialogue between the USA, Japan,
Australia and India.

3. The idea for the QUAD Group is
attributed to former Japanese
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who
mooted it in 2007.

4. However, its origins can be traced
back to the 2004 Tsunami when
Japan, the US and Australia condu
-cted the relief operation in India
and its neighbouring countries.

5. It came into being presumably as
an indirect response to China’s gro
-wing economic and military might
in the South China Sea. Thus China
issued formal diplomatic protests
to the members of the QUAD

6. Due to which Australia backed
out from the QUAD followed by
an intermission of QUAD.

7. However, the QUAD was reinstated
in 2017 by the Trump administration
and Prime Minister Abe which was
regarded as a response to China’s
belt and road initiative.

8. Currently, QUAD members see the
informal alliance as a vision for a
Free and Open Indo-Pacific
maritime navigation.QUAD aims
for a maritime goal of upholding
international maritime laws in
China's maritime borders.

9. It also has economic cooperation
goals, especially during natural
disasters and handling the current
Covid-19 pandemic by producing
the vaccine.

10. On the other hand, China has
responded diplomatically warning
other nation’s not to join the QUAD
alliance as QUAD plus one member.