India’s Rise With New QUAD – Free PDF Download

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Few months back the Foreign Ministers of India, the US, Israel and the UAEconcluded a virtual meeting

The meeting is a strong manifestation of the changes in West Asian geopoliticsand formation of another Quad like grouping in the Middle East.

FOCUS

Climate change, Maritime security, Trade and Energy Cooperation, and Public health
The ‘new’ Quad seeks to address the changing geopolitics of West Asia as well as the Western Indian Ocean (WIO).

1) Abraham Accord

The Abraham Accords refers to the agreement between Israel, Bahrain and the UAE to normalize relations between the three.
The accords are named after the patriarch Abraham regards as a prophet in both Judaism and Islam.
The Abraham Accords stipulated that the UAE and Bahrain would establish their respective embassies in Israel and work together with Israel across a range of sectors, including tourism, trade and security (keeping all their differences aside)

2) Tackling Turkey’s Regional Dominance

The new Quad can be termed as a result of converging interests between India, the UAE, and Israel amidst Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s assertive claims for the leadership of the Islamic world.

3) US Pivot to Asia

US is seeking to lessen its footprint in the Middle East as part of its pivot to East Asia to tackle China’s rise, which is redrawing West Asia’s traditional equations.

1) Shift from Regional Approach

2) Resources

The Western Indian Ocean, the region lies between India, the Suez Canal and South Africa, is strategically critical as it contains the key maritime chokepoints of the Bab-el-Mandeb and the Suez Canal
In 2018, nearly 2 million barrels of oil flowed through the Bab-el-Mandeb every day towards Asia and Europe.

Sea lanes passing through the region are a critical node in the global energy network as well as economic security

3) Strategic Location

Regional states hostmilitary bases of major powers including US ,China, Russia, Japan and France, making it an arena of major power contestation.

4) Tackling Pakistan

New grouping is also driven by Pakistan’s growing alignment with Turkeyand its alienation from its traditionally strong supporters in the Arab Gulf – the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

5) Deepening Relations

It is a member of the Quad with the US, Australia and Japan, which have common concerns and shared interests in East Asia.
Israel is one of India’s top defence suppliers & is emerging as a key partner in security, technology, energy and agriculture.
The UAE is vital for India’s energy security and hosts millions of Indian workers.

6) Wars

The war in Yemen and intra-Gulf rivalries have been a significant contributing factor in shaping the geopolitics of the WIO.

As a result, the UAE has assertively engaged with maritime space of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Israel has reportedly established listening posts in Eritrea as well as on the island of Socotra.

The strengthening of ties between the UAE and Israel opens up possibilities of working together in the WIO with close strategic partners such as India, France and the US.
On account of their naval presence and strategic engagement, India and the US are important players in the WIO.
In fact, the WIO is considered as an ‘area of interest’ for the Indian Navy. In view of the growing Chinese presence in the region, India and the US are boosting their partnership in the WIO.
The interests and capabilities of all four countries are complementary to each other. Therefore, the ‘new’ Quad is likely to facilitate greater engagement with the region and maximise their strategic options.

Too Early to Call:While it is too early to speak of the strategic significance of such a grouping, there are areas where it can deepen its engagement – trade, energy ties, fighting climate change and enhancing maritime security.
Keeping Distance from Regional Rivalries:India should be careful not to get sucked into the many conflicts of West Asia that could intensify amid growing regional rivalries.
Engaging With Iran:India is facing deepening insecurities in continental Asia after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan.
- So the challenge before India is to retain ahealthy relationship with Iran even as it seeks to build a stronger regional partnership with the US-Israel-UAE bloc.

Answer – C

Hague Convention- protect children who are subjected to situations of international child abduction.
Talanoa Dialogue-process- which would help countries implement their Intended National Determined Contributions by the end of 2020