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COVER STORY JULY 11, 2025 | The Indian Eye 5

ed States. Secretary of State Marco to hard power. The meeting show-
Rubio, in a separate meeting with cased its growing emphasis on hu-
Jaishankar, reaffirmed the “strength manitarian assistance and emergency
of the U.S.-India relationship,” and response. The collective $30 million
stressed the importance of imple- contribution to earthquake-hit Myan-
menting the U.S.-India COMPACT. mar in March 2025 and a pandemic
This framework covers collaboration preparedness workshop hosted by
in trade, defense, counter-narcotics, India earlier this year underscored its
and combating illegal immigration— soft power projection.
alongside terrorism. India’s role in coordinating these
This bilateral momentum adds initiatives enhances its image as a re-
weight to India’s voice within the sponsible regional power. From un-
Quad. It also enables the U.S. to dersea cables to AI-powered agricul-
counterbalance China’s expanding ture, New Delhi is positioning itself
regional footprint with a credible, as both a beneficiary and architect of
capable partner that shares its dem- Quad-led development programs.
ocratic values and security concerns. The security-development bal-
Jaishankar’s visit to the U.S., ance was evident in initiatives like
thus, had a dual purpose: reinforce the MAITRI workshop—Maritime
India’s leadership role in the Quad External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar meets US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pa-
and reinforce the bilateral trust be- on the sidelines of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting, in Washington DC on Wednesday cific—to identify gaps in regional
tween New Delhi and Washington. (@DrSJaishankar X/ANI Photo) maritime capabilities. India will also
The success of this dual strategy was co-host an undersea cable forum with
visible in the alignment of language the U.S., underscoring the technolog-
and purpose between the joint Quad group announced the launch of the server Mission, enabling partners to ical aspect of strategic connectivity.
communique and the U.S. State De- Quad Critical Minerals Initiative, de- share knowledge and build interop-
partment’s individual briefing. signed to secure and diversify supply erability on illicit maritime activity. RELEVANCE AND RISKS
Despite the visible alignment chains for essential resources. This These efforts dovetail with the In-
For India, the Quad represents
between India and the United States is a strategic hedge against China’s do-Pacific Partnership for Maritime more than a diplomatic grouping—it
within the Quad framework, Wash- dominance in rare earths and aligns Domain Awareness (IPMDA), which is a strategic instrument to counter
ington’s continued engagement with with India’s push for self-reliance and uses space-based radio frequency regional threats, from terrorism to
Pakistan—particularly its military technological independence. data to track illegal fishing and mari- China’s assertiveness. With New Del-
establishment—remains a compli- Another major announcement time trafficking. hi set to host the next Quad Leaders’
cating factor in India-U.S. ties. New was the upcoming Quad Ports of India’s stakes in maritime secu- Summit later this year, India’s role as a
Delhi has long been wary of Amer- the Future Partnership, set to be rity are especially high. The South convening power is further solidified.
ican defense assistance to Pakistan, launched in Mumbai later this year. China Sea, a long-simmering flash- But this expanding agenda also
which it believes indirectly empowers The initiative aims to promote ad- point, was discussed at length during comes with risks. Aligning too close-
elements that sponsor cross-border vanced logistics and port infrastruc- the meeting. Jaishankar called it an ly with the U.S.-led bloc may invite
terrorism. ture, making India a central node in “issue of great concern” and reiter- strategic pushback from China, and
The backdrop of Operation Sin- regional connectivity and maritime ated that all Quad members share
door and the Pahalgam terror attack commerce. This will be further sup- an interest in ensuring that this vital deepen fault lines in India’s tradition-
ally non-aligned posture. Yet, as the
further sharpened India’s sensitivi- ported by the Quad Infrastructure waterway remains peaceful. The joint Pahalgam attack and Operation Sin-
ties, especially as Jaishankar sought Fellowships Program and confer- statement followed up with sharp door showed, the nature of 21st-cen-
strong diplomatic messaging against ences designed to attract private sec- language opposing unilateral actions tury threats is changing. India’s bet
state-sponsored terrorism. tor investment in transparent, secure that attempt to alter the status quo, is that multilateral platforms like the
While U.S. Secretary of State infrastructure. highlighting ramming incidents and
Marco Rubio reaffirmed the strength In maritime security, the group the militarization of disputed islands. Quad are better suited to face these
threats than going it alone.
of the India-U.S. relationship and launched the Quad-at-Sea Ship Ob- The Quad’s role isn’t just limited In that context, Jaishankar’s ar-
supported counterterrorism coop- ticulation of India’s resolve was more
eration, India remains cautious of than symbolic. It was a recalibra-
Washington’s balancing act in South tion of how India engages with the
Asia. Reports of backchannel con- world—and how it expects the world
tacts between U.S. officials and Pa- to engage with India.
kistani military leadership—often
justified by the U.S. need for regional
counterterrorism logistics and Af- A FORCE MULTIPLIER
ghanistan stability—continue to raise India’s strategic calculus is evolv-
concerns in New Delhi. For India, un- ing—and the Quad is both the stage
equivocal support against terrorism and the instrument of that evolution.
must include isolating its enablers, From counterterrorism to mineral
not engaging them under the veil of supply chains, maritime law enforce-
regional diplomacy. ment to humanitarian relief, New
Delhi is using the Quad not merely
BROADER SECURITY CANVAS as a forum, but as a force multiplier.
While terrorism was the highlight The Washington meeting in July 2025
of India’s strategic messaging, the was a clear demonstration: India is no
Quad used the Washington meeting The Quad Foreign Ministers meeting in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday (ANI) longer just participating in the global
to broaden its operational scope. The security discourse—it is shaping it.

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