PM Modi to Outline QUAD's Future Steps Ahead of ASEAN Summit

Ahead of the ASEAN summit, Prime Minister Modi is set to outline the future road-map for the QUAD alliance, with a focus on cybersecurity, resilient supply chains, and maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific. Bilateral meetings with the U.S., Japan, and Australia will also shape the group’s next steps in maintaining regional stability.

Ahead of the upcoming ASEAN summit in Vientiane, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to unveil the next phase of the QUAD alliance, emphasizing key areas like resilient supply chains, critical infrastructure, maritime domain awareness, and cybersecurity. The QUAD summit, scheduled for September 21 in Wilmington, Delaware, will see Modi engage with U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in bilateral discussions.

The QUAD leaders are expected to focus their discussions on maintaining security in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in light of rising aggression from the PLA Navy. The QUAD nations have increasingly prioritized maritime domain awareness, selecting U.S.-based HawkEye 360 software to monitor dark shipping and vessels that switch off their transponders. Protecting critical infrastructure from cyberattacks by both state and non-state actors will also be a primary agenda item.

While the U.S. has alliance partnerships with Japan and Australia, India remains a pivotal player in the Indo-Pacific. With its two-carrier task force Navy, India is positioned to enforce international law in the region, a crucial factor in the ongoing effort to maintain stability. Since the creation of the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness initiative by QUAD in May 2022, India has been a first responder to regional crises, providing disaster relief and COVID-19 vaccines without political strings attached.

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Despite China's belief that QUAD is designed to counter its influence, the grouping’s objectives go beyond this. The alliance is aimed at ensuring global stability, with its members maintaining open channels of communication and collaboration. The recent escalation of Houthi missile attacks and China’s aggressive actions toward the Philippines have only underscored the importance of the QUAD’s collective security efforts.