Quadrilateral Security Dialogue

Why in news?

• Recently, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat said that India wants the Quad to become a system to “ensure freedom of navigation (FoN) and freedom of navigation operations (FONOPS)” in the Indian Ocean and around.

About the Quad:

• The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD, also known as the Quad) is an informal strategic dialogue.
• It takes place between the United States, Japan, Australia and India and is maintained by talks between member countries.
• The dialogue was initiated in 2007 by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan.
• The dialogue was paralleled by joint military exercises titled Exercise Malabar which is now regularly conducted between forces of Japan, USA and India.
• The Quad was revived in 2017 with a meeting of Joint Secretary-rank officials of the four countries.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Which of the following countries is not part of the informal grouping called “Quadrilateral Security Dialogue”:
(a)India
(b)United Kingdom
(c)Australia
(d)Japan

Answer to prelims question