From Melbourne to Munich, Quad diplomacy in full flow

One of the major challenges for the grouping will be how to maintain a balance between the Quad's role in curbing Chinese coercion and positive development agenda.

- MANISH CHAND

It's a riveting photo that speaks more about the -Quad than a thousand words. On 11 February, after labyrinthine closed-door discussions on emerging geopolitical equations in the Indo-Pacific, vaccines, Ukraine and the centrality of ASEAN, the Foreign Ministers of India, the United States, Australia and Japan gathered at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. Well, they didn't quite play cricket there, but it turned out to be the perfect pitch for image management of the four-nation grouping which has been derided and demonized relentlessly by China. The suave Foreign Minister of India, S. Jaishankar, held forth on the message of Quad, with the Australian host, Marise Payne, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japan's Foreign Minister Yoshimasha Hayashi listening in, all ears. “Anybody who doubts that the Quad has a positive message and positive approach should have been with us at the MCG. I think a major advancement was made when we could teach Minister Hayashi and Secretary Blinken, the intricacies of cricket, including bowling and how to actually use the seam on the cricket ball,” said Jaishankar. “So, nobody should doubt the positive contribution of Quad,” Jaishankar later said laconically at a joint press conference with Ms Payne.

BATTLE OF NARRATIVES