Alliance · Security dialogue
Quad
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue
The Quad, officially the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is a partnership of the United States, Japan, India and Australia. Officials from the four first met in 2007. The group lapsed in 2008 and was revived in 2017. It has no treaty, no headquarters and no commitment to defend its members. It works on maritime surveillance, critical minerals and disaster relief. Its leaders last met in September 2024.
- Members
- 4
- Unchanged since 2007
- Began
- 2007
- Lapsed 2008, revived 2017
- People
- 1.96 billion
- 24% of the world, 2025
- Military spending
- $1.14tn
- 39% of the world's, 2025
- Last leaders' summit
- Sept 2024
- Wilmington, Delaware
Which countries are in the Quad?
The four members are the United States, Japan, India and Australia. After the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004, the four ran relief as a "core group" for about a week. Officials first met in Manila on May 25, 2007. Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, championed the group. In August 2007 Abe told India's parliament that the Pacific and Indian Oceans were becoming "seas of freedom and of prosperity." China protested to all four governments.
Abe resigned in September 2007, and Washington cooled. In February 2008, standing next to China's foreign minister in Canberra, Australia's foreign minister, Stephen Smith, said Australia would not propose such a dialogue again. Officials met again in Manila on November 12, 2017. Foreign ministers first met in September 2019, leaders in March 2021.
United StatesPlus the United States
- Member
- Not a member
All 4 members
Is the Quad an Asian NATO?
The Quad is not an alliance. It has no treaty, no mutual-defense commitment and no secretariat. In July 2021 the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said: "Quad is not a military alliance." Its leaders call it "a force for good." Separately, the United States has defense treaties with Japan (since 1960) and Australia (since 1951). India has no defense treaty with any country.
China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, said in March 2018 that such ideas were "like sea foam in the Pacific or Indian Ocean" and "will be short-lived." By October 2020 Wang Yi said the US strategy was building an Indo-Pacific "new NATO" underpinned by the Quad. In May 2026 China's foreign ministry said it "opposes forming exclusive groupings."
I would urge you not to slip into that lazy analogy of an Asian-NATO. It isn't because there are three countries who are treaty allies.
The United States promises to act if territory under Japan's administration is attacked. US presidents say this covers the Senkakus, which China claims.
A treaty with New Zealand too. Australia invoked it once, after the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001.
Lets their forces train in each other's country, without a promise of defense. In 2025 Australia chose Japanese-designed frigates for its navy.
India has never joined a military alliance. Russia supplied 40% of its arms imports in 2021 to 2025.
What does the Quad do?
The Quad works through meetings of its leaders, foreign ministers and senior officials, and through working groups on each topic. Most of its projects are civilian. Its statements avoid naming China. The minerals initiative of July 2025 warns against "reliance on any one country" for processing critical minerals.
In July 2025 officers from the four coast guards sailed together for the first time, on a US Coast Guard cutter from Palau to Guam. A ports program held its first conference in Mumbai in October 2025, with delegates from 24 countries. The Quad Fellowship, announced in December 2022, chose 100 graduate students, 25 per member, from more than 3,200 applicants.
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Vaccines2021 to 2022
In 2021 the four pledged 1.2 billion COVID-19 doses worldwide. By 2024 they said they had delivered more than 400 million to Indo-Pacific countries.
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Maritime watchSince 2022
The Quad buys commercial satellite data on ships that turn off their transponders and shares it with more than two dozen countries, to help them protect their fisheries.
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Critical mineralsSince 2025
An initiative launched in July 2025 and a framework agreed in May 2026 to coordinate investment in mining, processing and recycling.
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Malabar exerciseAll four since 2020
Begun by India and the United States in 1992 with four ships. Japan joined permanently in 2015. Australia took part in 2007 and returned in 2020.
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Cervical cancerSince 2024
A program to prevent and treat cervical cancer. India pledged 40 million doses of the HPV vaccine.
Why have the Quad's leaders not met since 2024?
India was due to host the next summit in 2025, but no date was ever set. After India and Pakistan fought from May 7 to 10, 2025, President Trump said the United States had mediated. Prime Minister Modi told him on June 17 that mediation was "never discussed." US tariffs on Indian goods reached 50% in August 2025, half of it a penalty for buying Russian oil. In February 2026 the two agreed a trade framework and the oil penalty ended.
The foreign ministers kept meeting: in Washington in January and July 2025, in New Delhi in May 2026 and in Manila in July 2026. India says it remains the chair. Indian newspapers report a leaders' meeting at the Miami G20 in December 2026 is being explored. No government has confirmed it.
The Quad since its last summit
- Sept 2024Leaders meet in Wilmington and pick India to host next
- Jan 2025Foreign ministers meet the day after Trump's inauguration
- May 2025India and Pakistan fight, Trump claims US mediated
- Aug 2025US tariffs on Indian goods reach 50%
- 2025Summit in India never held
- Feb 2026A US-India trade framework; the Russian oil penalty ends
- May 2026Foreign ministers meet in New Delhi, no summit date
- Dec 2026Leaders' meeting at Miami G20 being explored
How do the four compare with China?
Together the four have 24% of the world's people, 35% of its economy and 39% of its military spending (2025). China alone has 17% of the people, 17% of the economy and 12% of military spending. US military spending alone is about 2.8 times China's. India, Japan and Australia together spend about 57% of what China does.
China has the world's largest army, with 2,035,000 active troops (2026), ahead of India's 1,500,700 and the United States' 1,340,150. The United States has about 5,042 nuclear warheads and India about 190. China has about 620. Japan and Australia have none.
The Quad and China, share of the world
- Quad
- China
People, 2025
Economy, 2025
Military spending, 2025
Is it in the Quad?
Short answers for the countries people ask about most.
Is South Korea in the Quad?
NoIt joined two "Quad Plus" calls on COVID-19 in 2020. A former Trump official proposed adding it as a fifth member in April 2026.
Is New Zealand in the Quad?
NoIt joined the "Quad Plus" call on COVID-19 in March 2020. The United States suspended its ANZUS treaty duties to New Zealand in 1986.
Is the United Kingdom in the Quad?
NoIt is in AUKUS with the United States and Australia, a separate pact announced in 2021.
Is China in the Quad?
NoChina protested to all four governments in 2007 and says it opposes "exclusive groupings."
Is the Philippines in the Quad?
NoSince 2024 its navy has sailed with those of the United States, Japan and Australia. Officials and media call that group the "Squad."
Is Vietnam in the Quad?
NoIt joined the "Quad Plus" call on COVID-19 in March 2020, with South Korea and New Zealand.
Is Indonesia in the Quad?
NoIndonesia is in ASEAN. In July 2026 the Quad's foreign ministers met in Manila, alongside ASEAN meetings, for the first time.
Is Pakistan in the Quad?
NoPakistan, India's rival, signed the Mecca defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey in August 2026.
Is Singapore in the Quad?
NoIts navy joined the four in the Malabar exercise of September 2007.
Is Russia in the Quad?
NoIndia, a Quad member, abstained on the UN General Assembly vote of March 2022 that deplored Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
