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Return of the Quad
Cover Story

Return of the Quad

A decade after it was first proposed, the U.S., Japan, India, and Australia are getting the squad back together.

By Jeff M. Smith, Yuki Tatsumi, Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, Rory Medcalf and David Brewster

The idea itself is rather simple: the Indo-Pacific’s four most prominent and powerful democracies engaging directly on the basis of shared security interests and mutual geopolitical concerns. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue – the Quad – is an idea whose time came and passed quickly a decade ago and seemingly has arrived again. In this month’s cover story, we aim to present the perspectives of the Quad countries on the concept, its rebirth, and its future. As the following four perspectives show, the United States, Japan, India, and Australia share as much as they differ and the reborn Quad continues to face challenges in one of the world’s most dynamic regions.

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The Authors

Jeff M. Smith is a research fellow in The Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center.

Yuki Tatsumi is co-director of the East Asia Program and Director of the Japan Program at the Stimson Center.

Dr. Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan is senior fellow and head of the Nuclear and Space Policy Initiative at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

Professor Rory Medcalf, Head of College, National Security College, The Australian National University.

Dr. David Brewster, Senior Research Fellow, National Security College, The Australian National University.

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