Theme:
- In September 2021, AUKUS – a trilateral security partnership among Australia (AU), the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) was announced. The member countries announced their commitment to ensuring a free and open Indo-pacific region. There are fears that AUKUS may overshadow Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue formed by United States, India, Japan and Australia) because Quad too aimed at countering China’s increasing influence in the Indo-pacific region.
AUKUS vs Quad:
- AUKUS is a trilateral military pact among AU, UK, US to support each other in security and defence interests, whereas Quad is a non-military entity. Quad is an informal grouping.
- The goals of AUKUS and Quad are completely different. AUKUS was formed for cooperation in security and defence interests. Member countries of AUKUS announced their commitment to ensuring a free and open Indo-pacific. On the other hand, Quad countries pledged to work on the most urgent global challenges such as covid-19 vaccination, climate change, counterterrorism, disaster relief etc. The member countries are supporting each other in tackling these issues.
- There are fears that AUKUS may overshadow Quad. But some are of the opinion that it won’t happen because both have completely different purposes. Only time will tell whether one of them overshadows another.
Conclusion:
AUKUS may not diminish Quad, rather it can complement Quad in countering China’s growing economic, political, and military influence in the Indo-pacific region.
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References:
- FRP Explains: AUKUS vs QUAD
- Quad and AUKUS goals are clear as black and white. Only one can cut back China’s power
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