Foreign ministers from India, Japan, and Australia met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New Delhi on Tuesday, seeking to revive the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) amid growing doubts about its relevance. Analysts said the meeting, marked by stiff body language, aimed to agree on a long-delayed leaders’ summit as the alliance struggles to maintain unity under U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term. Washington’s military redeployment from the Asia Pacific to the Middle East and Trump’s rapprochement with Chinese President Xi Jinping have raised concerns among Quad members about America’s long-term commitment to the Indo-Pacific.
Analysts from Japan and China told Al Jazeera that the Quad’s cohesion has eroded due to shifting U.S. priorities and a lack of leadership. The alliance, which has no formal treaty or mutual defense commitments, has focused on limited initiatives such as vaccines and supply chains but lacks strategic direction. Beijing now views the Quad as an uneven alignment rather than a unified anti-China coalition.
Japan has responded by increasing its defense budget and strengthening partnerships with other allies, while India and Australia are reassessing their positions amid uncertainty over Washington’s reliability.
Share As the foreign ministers of India, Japan and Australia lined up with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a “family photograph” at the start of a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, their body language was stiff, with only the top Indian diplomat
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