Context

India will host the Quad foreign ministers meet later this year. Apart from the Quad meeting, details are also being worked out for the India-US 2+2 dialogue.

About

• Known as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, the four-member group is an informal strategic forum that holds semi-regular summits and discusses regional economic and development assistance.
• At its core, the Quad is a symbolic and substantive addition to an existing network of strategic and defense cooperation among four highly capable Indo-Pacific democracies.
• Though the group has seen several ups and downs but it was in November 2017, the informal forum saw re-establishment with emphasis on maintaining rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Beijing sees this as a means of containing China.
• The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or the Quad has regained strength in the face of an aggressive China.

The gained traction

• The grouping has gained greater traction since early 2020 because of Beijing’s role in the COVID-19 pandemic and the manner in which it has attempted to hijack multilateral institutions, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
• The four countries are also concerned about global supply chain problems, recognizing the vulnerability of their dependence on China.
• The upcoming in-person foreign ministers meeting appears, at the least, aimed at sending a strong message to China about the resoluteness of the Quad. 

Why this year’s meeting assumes significance?

• Both of these meetings are taking place at a time when China is facing the global ire for-
  • trampling democracy in Hong Kong
  • human rights violations in Xinjiang
  • alleged breach of internet privacy in various countries
  • attempting to unilaterally change the status quo at the India China border violating all bilateral agreements and protocols
  • displaying strong-arm tactics in the South China Sea
• Beijing is also being blamed by some quarters for the spread of COVID-19 globally which originated in its labs in Wuhan.
  • US President Donald Trump has referred to COVID-19 as "Chinese virus".
• The US had also imposed restrictions on Chinese diplomats in the country. India has also banned several Chinese apps and popular game Pubg and Indian Railways has cancelled Chinese investment.
• As major powers of the world get sceptical about China, India is looking forward to replacing the Asian giant as a production and services hub of the world.
• Quad countries including Australia and Japan have assured huge investments in India''s infrastructure technology and supply chain.
• The United States has also hailed India as a big power in India-Pacific.
• Beijing will be watching Quad and 2+2 meet very closely as it views this grouping of democratic powers with a sense of alarm.