It seems the Quad—aka the crew of the U.S., India, Australia, and Japan—might be losing its edge. Once the bold, shiny new squad to keep China in check, now it’s leaning into… cervical cancer prevention? 🤔 Critics are raising their eyebrows, saying the group is lowering its ambitions and not tackling the tough stuff. So, has the Quad gone soft? Let’s dive in. 🌊
Wait, What Happened? 🤷♂️
This year’s Quad meeting was supposed to be a grand affair in Delhi, but after some serious diplomatic drama (read: an alleged assassination attempt on a U.S. activist by Indian agents 🕵️♂️), President Joe Biden decided to skip India. Instead, the leaders met in a low-key school in Delaware. 🏫
But the real talk is about whether the Quad still has its eyes on the prize: keeping the Indo-Pacific region stable and China in check. Some critics think it’s drifting away from its original goal. 🚤
A Quick History Lesson 📚
The Quad first formed in 2007 as a security dialogue between the four countries. The idea? Keep the region secure, with a not-so-secret focus on China 🐉. But the group faded into the background until 2017, when Trump’s presidency made India, Australia, and Japan extra eager to keep the U.S. involved in the region.
Since then, the Quad’s had a revival—naval drills restarted in 2020, and under Biden, there’ve been six leader meetings, four of them IRL. Biden’s goal? Turn the Quad into a long-lasting fixture in Asia. But here’s the catch: critics say it’s becoming more about soft diplomacy (like vaccine rollouts and disaster relief) than hard-hitting defense moves. 🛡️
From Fighter Jets to… Vaccines? 💉
So, what’s the issue? Under Biden, the Quad has shifted gears a bit, focusing more on “public goods” (think disaster relief, vaccines, etc.) instead of military drills. Defense officials and military types aren’t even invited to Quad meetings anymore. 😮
At the latest summit, instead of hardcore security talks, they discussed how to prevent cervical cancer and handle natural disasters. While that’s important work, critics think the Quad should be focusing more on the big problems—like China stirring up trouble in the South China Sea and Taiwan.
So… Has the Quad Gone Soft? 🤔
Not everyone’s convinced. Sure, the Quad isn’t blasting China by name, but they’re still working on defense-adjacent stuff, like providing satellite imagery to help countries track ships in their waters 🛰️ and working on semiconductor manufacturing in India for military purposes. 🛠️
But some experts, like Raji Pillai from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, are calling for the Quad to get back to its roots—maritime security. With China being extra aggressive in the region, they say it’s time for the Quad to stop beating around the bush and get serious about defense.
What’s Next? 🔮
With some key leaders stepping down soon—Japan’s Kishida Fumio and Biden himself—the future of the Quad is looking a bit shaky. Narendra Modi is the only one likely to stick around, and he’ll finally get to host the next Quad meeting in India. What happens next? That’ll depend on the new faces at the table—and whether they want the Quad to be more than just a talking shop. 🗣️
TL;DR: The Quad’s critics think it’s lowering the bar and getting distracted from its main mission of keeping the region secure. With leadership changes on the horizon, the group might need to step up its game—or risk losing relevance. 💥