Quad Meets in New Delhi to Counter China, US‑India Rift
SkimNews Take
The Quad's ability to project a unified front in the Indo-Pacific is hampered by internal members' bilateral tensions and the potential for future leadership changes to destabilize existing commitments.
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- Quad foreign ministers from the United States, India, Japan and Australia will meet in New Delhi from May 23‑25 2026 to discuss Indo‑Pacific security, energy supplies and emerging technologies.
- United States will be represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as President Donald Trump is preoccupied with Middle East and Cuba issues and has strained ties with India through tariffs and criticism of Indian defence purchases.
- India Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s relationship with the United States has been soured by Trump’s tariffs and his claim to have mediated India‑Pakistan border clashes, prompting Japan and Australia to push for a stronger Quad presence.
- Derek Grossman warns that if President Donald Trump does not attend the next Quad leaders’ summit in Australia in late 2026, the alliance may become geopolitically insignificant, giving China a strategic advantage.
- China continues to test geopolitical and security boundaries in the Indo‑Pacific, heightening regional tensions.
Why it matters: India risks losing market access as US tariffs remain, and the Quad’s strategic clout will erode by the late‑2026 leaders’ summit, handing China greater leverage in the Indo‑Pacific.
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