India seeks to draw on Quad, IPEF ties for edge in US talks

Strategy shift comes ahead of Quad meet later this year even as Trump hikes tariffs to 50%

- Dhirendra Kumar

At a time of worsening ties with the US, New Delhi is looking to leverage a strategic tool in its trade talks with America: Its position in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), two Asian initiatives led by the US.

While the Quad is a strategic dialogue between the US, India, Australia, and Japan aimed to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, the IPEF is a 14-nation effort to deepen economic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

Quad, though not a trade bloc, plays a strategic role in coordinating security and economic alignment among member nations. For Washington, both Quad and IPEF are critical forums to counter China's growing economic and strategic clout while fostering supply chain resilience, technological standard-setting, and regional integration.

New Delhi's strategy shift comes ahead of a Quad meet in India later this year that US President Donald Trump is expected to attend.