The United States, Japan, Australia and India are looking ahead to form a quadrilateral group to maintain the existing strategic stability and power equilibrium in Asia. China’s rapid rise and its determination to expand and modernise the military power is compelling these four nations to form a quadrilateral group to work together to serve their mutual interests.

Japan and Australia are close military allies of US and their security cooperation has been going on for some years. Now, India is getting ready to be a part of the new security calculus in Asia with these big three. The emergence of India as a strategic and economic power prompts these three big powers to include it into a new security alliance.

Despite the fact that it has obvious geopolitical connotation, the newly shaped quadrilateral grouping is likely to be projected not as a formal strategic coalition, but as a way to persuade a constructive engagement among the key players of Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean region.

China is looking at these developments with suspicion. It has already expressed strong concerns about Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s proposal for greater cooperation among Asian democracies. Also, last month, Beijing protested against a formal meeting among the senior officials of the US, Japan, India and Australia aimed at building a new grouping in Asia- Pacific region.

In fact, the four countries arranged an official level meeting in Manila a month back to discuss ways in which they could cooperate in tackling emergencies and disasters in future. The concept of quadrilateral cooperation is not completely new.

In 1960s, when US-China relations were not genial and anti-China sentiments were high in India, the plan of ‘balancing China’ was floated. But normalisation of relations between the US and China terminated any such notion and other Asian countries were encouraged to develop cordial relations with China. The idea of Quadrilateral Cooperation was rejuvenated after the Tsunami relief operations, which were based on cooperation between the navies of the US, Japan, Australia and India. In fact, just after the tsunami disaster in December 2005, the US formed a core group of four nations with Japan, Australia and India for relief operations in tsunami affected region. It was the first time when these four navies were working together.

Initially, New Delhi was not stimulated by the idea of expanding the US-Australia-Japan trilateral strategic dialogue. In fact, it was Tokyo that lobbied for India’s inclusion in the existing trilateral group to make it quadrilateral.

Abe, earlier through his book Toward a Beautiful Country published in July 2006, indicated that strategic triangle may be not so effective and suggested a quadrilateral relationship among India, US, Japan and Australia. During the visit to Japan in December 2006 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appreciated the offer saying that the idea had its advantages. Also in the joint declaration there were clear indications on the formation of the quadrilateral grouping in the near future. 

The shortest paragraph of the joint declaration, paragraph 46, indicates the future cooperation between Japan, India and other like minded countries in Asia Pacific region. Implicitly, it indicated scope for future enhanced cooperation among India, US, Japan and Australia in a strategic sense. Concrete plans for this new quadrilateral dialogue process were firmed up during the visit of Japanese Vice-Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi to New Delhi last month. After this visit, the first exploratory meeting at the official level took place on the sidelines of the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) security policy meeting in Manila on May 24-25. 

The four nations are looking determined to enhance the cooperation on bilateral as well as trilateral level also. Cooperation between Japan and Australia is rapidly expanding. Both countries have signed a landmark defence pact in March 2007. It is only Japan’s second bilateral security agreement since the end of the World War II. The bilateral relations between India and Japan are also improving as both countries seek to develop a strong strategic partnership.

Tokyo’s current assertiveness in security affairs regionally and globally fits well with India’s own ‘Look East’ policy. As of today, New Delhi doesn’t want to confine itself to the ‘Near East’ but is on the lookout for the meaningful engagement with Far East Asian countries as well in its bid to strengthen the existing ‘Look East Policy’. Australia is also recognising India’s emergence as a strategic and economic power broker in the Indian Ocean region and aiming to build closer defence ties with New Delhi.

Last April, the Indian Navy held its first trilateral naval exercise with the United States and Japan in the Pacific Ocean.  India, Japan and US are looking forward to work together to maintain peace and stability in Asian water as well as balancing China through strategic cooperation. Chinese ambitions to modernise its military power have forced these three to forge a strong bond of cooperation in Asia- Pacific as well as in the Indian Ocean region.

Although all four members of this quadrilateral group are denying any intentions to contain China, it is amply clear that China’s growing military prowess and its strategy to engage regional states is a cause of common concern for them. With a hidden agenda of maintaining the existing balance of power structure, these countries are now showing willingness to cooperate with each other on bilateral, trilateral or on quadrilateral basis. 

India is now increasingly suspicious about China’s naval expansion in Asian waters, and considers China’s growing influence as a threat for balance of power in Indian Ocean. Much like Beijing, New Delhi has increased its diplomatic and military engagement in the region. Through the cooperation mantra it has successfully enhanced its regional and international profile and making serious moves to reduce China’s influence to maintain the balance of power in the region.

India’s strengthened engagement with US, Japan and Australia should not be considered as ‘containment’ of China, rather be seen as a ‘real balance game’. Few months back, an effort was made to institutionalise Russia-China-India trilateral cooperation. The US, Japan and Australia quadrilateral cooperation is surging ahead in a similar fashion.   India’s participation in quadrilateral cooperation grouping should also be understood as an opportunity to interact with other major powers to serve own interests.

The writer is an Associate Fellow at Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.