New Delhi – External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar emphasised that the growing prominence of the Quad group indicates the growth of the multipolar world. The proclamation from Jaishankar came during his keynote address at the closing ceremony of Raisana Dialogue which was held in New Delhi on Saturday. He insisted that India's growing ties with the US, Australia and Japan illustrate that the world is heading out of the “sphere of influence” in the post-Cold War era. The veteran Indian diplomat insisted that the Quad reflects the democratization of the global space and moves ahead with a “collaborative” and not “unilateral” approach. 

"I believe it (Quad) has five messages. One, it reflects the growth of a multipolar order. Two, it is post-Alliance and post-Cold War thinking. Three, it is against spheres of influence. Four, It expresses the democratizing of the global space and a collaborative, not unilateral approach. And five, it is a statement that in this day and age, others cannot have a veto on our choices," the External Affairs Minister said on the closing day of the Raisina Dialogue in the national capital on Saturday. Jaishankar gave his keynote address at the session titled 'Quad Think Tank Forum'. The primary focus of the session was discussing the measure to impose a free and open Indo-Pacific. Jaishankar also noted that by strengthening the body, the four nations can discuss multi-faceted issues. “The origins of the Quad go back to the tsunami response. This was an event which happened in late December 2004. I happen to be the coordinator for that response on the Indian side. In 2006, the idea of a Quad was put forward by then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. But as I said earlier, it unravelled within a year, and in fact, Abe himself had left office at that time,” the Indian diplomat recalled. 

Quad has the ability to utilise resources 

Before Jaishankar gave his address, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell addressed the session on behalf of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. During his speech, Campbell lauded how Quad successfully harnessed the resources and capabilities that four nations have to offer. “The strength of the Quad is its ability to harness the resources and capabilities of our four nations (US, India, Australia, Japan) to deliver concrete outcomes that benefit us all. In 2024, it has enabled us to promote that common good for the people across the Indo-Pacific,” the American diplomat averred. "I want to emphasise the defining feature of our partnership - the Quad stands for our affirmative vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), in which we collectively build the capacity of our allies and partners. The Quad is not about forcing the region to choose between strategic competitors. It is about preserving and creating options so that communities, institutions and countries can make decisions to benefit their people," he added.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong who addressed the session virtually also stressed on the positive impact of Quad in the Indo-Pacific region. “We've maintained strong momentum in offering but never imposing transparent valued public goods. that responded to priorities,” she said. "I described the quad as a lighthouse, which brings together our countries to illuminate a positive vision for the Indo-Pacific," she added.
Raisina Dialogue is India's flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community," the Australian diplomat furthered.