In a significant development for the region, the Quadrilateral Strategic Dialogue (“the Quad”) between India, Australia, Japan and the U.S. held its first Minister-level meeting since it was revived in 2017. “If I could single out India’s role in the quad, I think it highlights India’s leadership in the end of the Pacific region. The notion of ASEAN centrality broadly refers to the group of countries being at the centre of security and strategic frameworks for the Asia-Pacific region. An official at Thursday’s briefing said the exercises did not come up during the Foreign Ministers’ discussions. Senior officials of the group will meet on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Bangkok in November.

Source: The Hindu September 27, 2019 04:41 UTC