Ironically, the US (figuring in this list) has been in quest of a “strategic partnership” with India since 1991. These became a precursor for bilateral exercises with at least a dozen other navies, internationally; it has now become an annual feature of India’s maritime outreach. Representatives of the four maritime democracies met ahead of the East Asia Summit, in Manila, for “consultation on issues of common interest in the Indo-Pacific region”. The renewal of this dormant grouping and repeated use of the term Indo-Pacific by President Trump seems to have generated a degree of animation in strategic circles. As it happens, the provenance of the Quad, and coining of the term, Indo-Pacific, have an Indian context that bears mention.

Source: Indian Express November 23, 2017 18:31 UTC