Why in the News?

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the fourth Quad leaders' Summit, hosted by US President Joe Biden, in Wilmington, Delaware, on September 21, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which announced the Prime Minister's visit.

About QUAD

• It is an informal strategic dialogue forum between India, United States of America, Japan and Australia.
• It brings together these countries to ensure and support a 'free, open and prosperous' Indo-Pacific region and to counter china
• History of Quad
  • It was first proposed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007.
  • However, it could not take off after Australia withdrew under pressure from China.
  • Finally in 2017, India, Australia, the US and Japan, came together and formed this “quadrilateral” coalition.
  • First Summit: On 24^th September 2021 in Washington.

Map Showing QUAD members (to scale)