Quad Leaders Reveal New Maritime Security and Supply Chain Initiatives at Summit in Delaware
The United States, Australia, Japan, and India are collaborating to enhance their shared maritime security capabilities and broaden regional cooperation, with a primary focus on containing China. The leaders of the Indo-Pacific Quadrilateral partnership (Quad) announced new initiatives on Sept. 21 during the fourth in-person Quad Leaders Summit in Wilmington, Delaware. The summit addressed various topics, including the enforcement of international law in the Indo-Pacific waterways.
One of the key initiatives includes the commencement of joint coastguard exercises among the Quad partners. These exercises will involve rotational training efforts, with the United States leading the first round of training. Additionally, the Quad will expand its existing Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) initiative to enhance transparency on maritime activities in the region.
While the Quad partnership serves as a potential deterrent against the expansionist ambitions of the Chinese Communist Party, the members have not announced any quadrilateral military alliance to directly confront China. Instead, the United States has focused on strengthening separate bilateral alliances and security partnerships tailored to respond to regional hostilities.
US–Australia
President Joe Biden met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ahead of the Quad meeting to discuss various areas of cooperation between the two nations. They emphasized the importance of shared values in the U.S.–Australia alliance, particularly in the areas of defense, security, economy, and climate initiatives. Both leaders expressed support for maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait, highlighting the strategic ambiguity maintained by the United States regarding Taiwan’s status.
US–Japan
President Biden also held a bilateral discussion with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during the Quad Leaders Summit. They commended each other’s leadership and reiterated their commitment to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The leaders discussed joint efforts to enhance critical technologies like semiconductors and artificial intelligence, areas where they face growing competition from China.
US–India
A joint fact sheet published by the White House and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration highlighted the comprehensive strategic partnership between the U.S. and India. The fact sheet outlined existing cooperation on defense technology, space exploration, and plans for India to procure MQ-9 Reaper drones. Additionally, a roadmap was announced for a U.S.–India clean energy initiative aimed at expanding manufacturing of solar and wind energy components.
The roadmap includes directing new multilateral financing to support India’s clean energy supply chain, with a focus on innovative financial solutions to meet climate finance demands. The initiative also aims to collaborate on expanding supply chains for clean energy components and partnering with African nations on solar and electric vehicle projects.
