MEA says India to host Quad later this year as tensions simmer at LAC with China

India is rey to host a meeting of  Qu — an informal security dialogue involving India, US, Australia, and Japan — later this year and details are being worked out, Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. 

When asked about progress on much-awaited meeting, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, "Yes, we look forward to holding Qurilateral Group Ministerial meeting later this year.  details being worked out," without elaborating furr.

This comes days after a senior American official said that a Qu ministerial meet is being planned in New Delhi which will most likely be held in person. Speaking at US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun said, "re’s going to be a meeting of Qu, a ministerial meeting with Qu in Delhi – that’s intention anyway – in person."

In July, US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, h said that Qu "has been reinvigorated" in a statement to US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He h listed out a string of accomplishments America h on China front and highlighted steps taken by or countries to counter Beijing's bellicose attitude. 

"Japan led G7’s condemnation of China’s national security law targeting Hong Kong. EU condemned law too, and also declared China a “systemic rival” just last year... Our Qu – United States, Australia, India, and Japan – has been reinvigorated," Pompeo told US lawmakers.

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Qu's renewed bout

India's latest overture towards a more formalised Qu comes on heels of escalated tensions at Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China as its People's Liberation Army (PLA) tries to unsuccessfully intrude and occupy India positions.  Indian Army has thwarted all such attempts and has strengned its position along  3,488-km LAC, much to PLA's displeasure.

America has applauded New Delhi many times for standing up to Beijing its renewed interest to fire up Qu. Indian, US, and Japanese navies are scheduled to hold ir annual 'Malabar' exercises later this year and India is expected to finally invite Australia to join.  Qu has been seen as a credible and potent deterrent to China's increasingly aggressive posture on geopolitical and ecomic affairs.

Last year, Qu foreign ministers met on sidelines of United Nations General Assembly meeting in New Yeat, which was first such meet of grouping. tably, Qu is viewed with suspicion by China as a grouping that is anti-Bejing. Which is why New Delhi has long tried to downplay Qu as any concrete alliance to avoid antagonising in its rrn neighbour.

(AP Photo)

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