Quad summit delay sparks fears over US commitment in Asia-Pacific amid ‘competing priorities’

With a date yet to be set for the next Quad leaders’ meeting, the delay could ‘see some wind coming out of the sails’ of the four-member bloc

Despite the Quad members’ different positions on some issues, the bloc is committed to boosting regional security to counter China’s influence

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, US President Joe Biden, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, and Indian PM Narendra Modi gather prior to the Quad meeting in Tokyo on May 24, 2022. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:00am, 11 Mar 2024

Uncertainty over the next Quad leaders’ meeting after their previous summit in May has sparked concerns about a possible reduction in US presence in the Asia-Pacific and the future of the four-member bloc with the “wind coming out of its sails”.

However, analysts have also pointed out that the bloc’s relevance would not be affected as the postponement of the summit could be due to domestic considerations.

Also known as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, the bloc comprising Australia, India, Japan and the US was first set up in 2007 to counter China’s growing influence. It has gained prominence in recent years as geopolitical tensions mount.

With India’s general elections in April and May and the US presidential elections in November, media reports from these countries have suggested that the next likely window for a meeting of Quad leaders would be the end of this year.

An initial plan for a meeting in January fell through as US President Joe Biden was unable to take up India’s invitation to be the chief guest at its Republic Day celebrations.

In May last year, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, Indian PM Narendra Modi and Biden met in Hiroshima during the G7 summit for the fifth Quad leaders summit instead of Sydney, the original meeting venue.