Role of India in Quad and emerging challenges for Pakistan

Recently, on 24th September, leaders of the Quad group including four countries US, India, Japan, and Australia held a first-time in-person meeting in the USA. An earlier meeting was held virtually in March this year. This was the first time all four leaders physically met with each other to discuss various emerging challenges. After the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban and the increasing influence of China in the region has changed the Geopolitical dynamics of South Asia and in the larger Indo-Pacific Domain. The focus of this meeting was to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic and Vaccination, Climate change,  cooperation in advanced technology, and emerging threats from Indo-Pacific. But the main agenda was to counter the increasing influence of China in the region. A joint statement issued at the end of the meeting said, "We stand for the rule of law, freedom of navigation and overflight, peaceful resolution of disputes, democratic values, and territorial integrity of states,".

Without mentioning China they stated that "Together, we  recommit to promoting  the free, open, rules-based order, rooted in  international law and undaunted by coercion, to bolster security and prosperity  in the Indo-Pacific and beyond,".

India is part of this group and also the rival of Pakistan. In a joint statement without mentioning Pakistan, it is also stated that “denounce the use of terrorist proxies and emphasize the importance of denying any logistical, financial, or military support to terrorist groups which could be used to launch or plan terror attacks, including cross-border attacks".

In his press briefing by Indian Foreign Secretary, Harsh Vardhan Shringla stated that “Both in the bilateral discussions as well as in the forum discussions there was the clear sense that a more careful look, and a more careful examination and monitoring of Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan. Pakistan’s role on the issue of terrorism had to be kept, and that certainly whether it is Quad or its other partners has to keep track of that factor".

From the Joint statement of the Quad meeting and press briefing made by the Indian Foreign Secretary, we can easily analyze the use of the Quad group against Pakistan by India. India has used and is using various International platforms like UN, FATF, and now Quad to malign & propagate its propaganda against Pakistan.

Through these statements, India is trying to confront Pakistan on a diplomatic front. As a member of Quad, India is also modernizing its Military capabilities and Naval power in Indian Ocean Region. This is another emerging threat for Pakistan.