India: The weak link in the Quad

For years, China has served as the primary justification for the existence and expansion of the Quad. The rise of Beijing’s influence across the Indo-Pacific encouraged the United States, Japan, Australia, and India to strengthen cooperation under the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. Yet, despite growing concerns about China’s assertiveness, the Quad has failed to evolve into a credible and unified strategic bloc. The main reason is increasingly clear: India has become the principal obstacle to the Quad’s effectiveness. The Quad was envisioned as a platform for coordinating responses to regional security challenges, particularly those posed by China. However, while the United States, Japan, and Australia have shown a willingness to deepen security cooperation, India has consistently resisted efforts to transform the grouping into a meaningful strategic partnership. Instead of supporting stronger defence coordination, New Delhi has pushed the Quad toward softer issues such as climate initiatives, healthcare programs, infrastructure projects, and technology cooperation. While these areas have value, they do little to address the region’s most pressing security concerns. As a result, the Quad has struggled to develop a clear security identity. Meetings often produce ambitious statements but yield limited tangible outcomes in defence cooperation. India’s reluctance to support stronger military integration has slowed decision-making and prevented the grouping from developing the level of strategic cohesion necessary to deter Chinese aggression effectively. The consequence is a forum that talks extensively about regional challenges but remains constrained in its ability to respond to them. The contrast with AUKUS is striking. Unlike the Quad, AUKUS was established with a clear purpose and a commitment to strengthening military capabilities. It has moved rapidly toward cooperation in advanced defence technologies, undersea warfare, artificial intelligence, and strategic de