Quad Partnership and Indo-Pacific Strategy
International Relations
- PYQs8
- Articles1
Background
Central to India's foreign policy, regional security architecture, balancing power dynamics in Asia, and addressing challenges posed by China's assertiveness. It reflects evolving geopolitical alignments and strategic partnerships.
The Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) is an informal strategic forum comprising India, the United States, Japan, and Australia, aimed at promoting a 'free and open Indo-Pacific.' The Indo-Pacific concept refers to the interconnected maritime space stretching from the east coast of Africa to the west coast of the Americas, increasingly central to global geopolitics and economic activity.
Facts & tables
- Members
- India, United States, Japan, Australia.
- Objectives
- Maritime security, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, infrastructure, technology cooperation, countering China's influence.
- Indo-Pacific Concept
- A geopolitical construct emphasizing connectivity and shared interests across the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
- Evolution
- Re-invigorated in 2017, elevated to leader-level summits, signifying its growing strategic importance.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | India's Foreign Policy |
| Conceptual area | Regional Security Architecture |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Factual recall
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
- India, US, Japan, Australia members.
- Aims for 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific'.
- Focus on maritime security, HADR, tech.
- Counterbalance to China's regional assertiveness.
- Key pillar of India's foreign policy.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2025 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2018 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2017 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2015 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2015 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2015 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
Timeline
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India's Foreign Policy
Conceptual area
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Regional Security Architecture
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2015
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2015
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2015
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2017
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2018
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2025
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2026
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
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Iran's demands over the Strait of Hormuz would set a dangerous precedent, Rubio tells Asian leaders
The Quad is a strategic grouping of India, US, Japan, and Australia, focused on promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific through cooperation on maritime security, humanitarian aid, and technology, primarily to counter China's growing influence in the region.
See also
Past papers
2015–2026 · 8 questions
In the news
Iran's demands over the Strait of Hormuz would set a dangerous precedent, Rubio tells Asian leaders
The Quad is a strategic grouping of India, US, Japan, and Australia, focused on promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific through cooperation on maritime security, humanitarian aid, and technology, primarily to counter China's growing influence in the region.
Try these PYQs
Consider the following countries :
1. Australia
2. Canada
3. China
4. India
5. Japan
6. USA
Which of the above are among the 'free-trade partners' of ASEAN?
ASEAN has five free trade agreements (FTAs) with six Dialogue Partners, namely China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, and Australia and New Zealand. All Parties have ratified the FTA Agreements. USA is not a dialogue partner of ASEAN. So, they don't share a free trade agreement.
The Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany visited India in January, 2026. Which of the following is/are **not** correct in terms of outcomes of this visit ?
1. Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the All India Institute of Ayurveda and the University of Hamburg
2. Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Youth Hockey Development between Hockey India and the German Hockey Federation
3. Establishment of a bilateral dialogue mechanism on the Indo-Pacific
4. Opening of an Honorary Consul of Germany in Lucknow
Select the answer using the code given below :
Statement 1 is Incorrect: During the visit, an MoU was signed to strengthen cooperation in traditional medicine between Gujarat Ayurveda University and German institutions. (An earlier MoU in late 2025 was agreed upon between the All India Institute of Ayurveda and Charité Universitätsmedizin in Berlin, not the University of Hamburg). Statement 2 is Correct: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Youth Hockey Development was officially signed between Hockey India and the German Hockey Federation. Statement 3 is Correct: The two nations announced the establishment of a new bilateral dialogue mechanism on the Indo-Pacific, alongside a Track 1.5 Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue. Statement 4 is Incorrect: Following the Chancellor's focus on Gujarat, Germany announced the appointment of an Honorary Consul in Ahmedabad to foster closer cooperation in the western region, rather than in Lucknow. Since the question asks for the statements that are not correct, statements 1 and 4 fit the criteria. Therefore, the correct option is B.
With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC)’, Consider the following statements:
1. It was established very recently in response to incidents of piracy and accidents of oil spills
2. It is an alliance meant for maritime security only
Which of the following statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. IOR-ARC is a regional cooperation initiative of the Indian Ocean Rim countries. It was established in Mauritius in March 1997 with the aim of promoting economic and technical cooperation. IOR-ARC is the only pan-Indian ocean grouping. It brings together countries from three continents having different sizes, economic strengths, and a wide diversity of languages, cultures. Statement 2 is incorrect. It aims to create a platform for trade, socio-economic and cultural cooperation in the Indian Ocean rim area. The Indian Ocean Rim is rich in strategic and precious minerals, metals and other natural resources, marine resources and energy, all of which can be sourced from Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), continental shelves and the deep seabed.
In the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, an initiative of six countries, which of the following is/are not participant/ participants?
1. Bangladesh
2. Cambodia
3. China
4. Myanmar
5. Thailand
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
All 6 participants of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation are member countries bordering the basins of the Mekong and Ganga rivers, aiming to collaborate on various initiatives. These countries are: - India - Cambodia - Laos - Myanmar - Thailand - Vietnam Hence, China & Bangladesh are not part of the Mekong-Ganga Corporation.
Consider the following countries -
1. China
2. France
3. India
4. Israel
5. Pakistan
Which among the above are Nuclear Weapons States as recognized by the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)?
The Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) recognizes five states as nuclear-weapon states:
- The United States, - Russia, - The United Kingdom, - France,
- China (also the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council). Four other states are known or believed to possess nuclear weapons India, Pakistan and North Korea have openly tested and declared that they possess nuclear weapons, while Israel has had a policy of opacity regarding its nuclear weapons program.
Show 3 more PYQs
Consider the following in respect of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS):
1. Inaugural IONS was held in India in 2015 under the chairmanship of the Indian Navy.
2. IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime co-operation among the navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. The inaugural IONS was held in February 2008 in New Delhi, India. The Indian Navy served as the Chair for the first two years (2008-2010). Statement 2 is correct. IONS is indeed a voluntary initiative that aims to promote maritime cooperation among the navies of countries bordering the Indian Ocean. It provides a platform for discussions on regional maritime security issues and fosters friendly relationships between participating nations.
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I: Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) have launched the 'Trade and Technology Council'
Statement-II: The USA and the EU claim that through this they are trying to begin technological progress and physical productivity under their control.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statement?
* Statement 1 is correct: Trade and Technology Council was launched by the the United States of America and the European Union during the EU-US Summit on 15 June 2021 in Brussels. * Statement 2 is incorrect: Trade and Technology council, the USA and EU does not aim to bring technological progress and physical productivity under their control. Rather the initiative intends to promote pooling of digital resources such as AI models and computing power, and make them available to partner countries to address challenges in areas such as climate change and extreme weather, healthcare or smart agriculture.
Consider the following statements with regard to BRICS:
I. 16th BRICS Summit was held under the Chairship of Russia in Kazan.
II. Indonesia has become a full member of BRICS.
III. The theme of the 16th BRICS Summit was Strengthening Multiculturalism for Just Global Development and Security.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
✅ Statement I: Correct
*The 16th BRICS Summit was held in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024 under Russia’s chairship. Russia held the rotating presidency in 2024, and the summit took place from October 22-24 in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan.* ✅ Statement II: Correct
*Indonesia became a full member of BRICS in January 2025, becoming the first Southeast Asian nation and the 10th member of the bloc.* ❌ Statement III: Incorrect
*The theme of the 16th BRICS Summit is "Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security." The statement used "Multiculturalism" instead of "Multilateralism," making it incorrect for this question.* Therefore, only statements I and II are correct.