General Studies Paper 2 – International Relations

Source: Ministry of External Affairs, 2026

1. What happened

The Foreign Ministers of all four Quad nations met in New Delhi in 2026 — the first such meeting hosted by India at this level. The West Asia crisis, energy security, and semiconductor supply chains were the main agenda items.

• India — S. Jaishankar (External Affairs Minister)
• United States — Marco Rubio (Secretary of State)
• Japan — Toshimitsu Motegi (Foreign Minister)
• Australia — Penny Wong (Foreign Minister)

2. The Quad — all essential facts in one place

3. What was discussed — four main issues

• Maritime security: Disruption of the Strait of Hormuz due to West Asia conflict. Quad members discussed protecting key sea routes through which oil and goods travel.
• Energy security: India and Japan import most of their oil from West Asia — disruptions directly raise inflation and widen trade deficits in both countries.
• Critical minerals and semiconductors: Sea route disruptions threaten supply of lithium, cobalt, and chips — the backbone of AI and clean energy. Quad aims to build supply chains outside China’s control.
• United States commitment: Rubio’s in-person attendance signals that Washington remains committed to the Quad despite ongoing United States–China diplomatic engagement.

4. India’s strategic interest in the Quad

• Strategic autonomy preserved: India participates without any binding military commitment — consistent with its longstanding foreign policy of non-alignment.
• Balancing China: The Quad provides diplomatic and strategic leverage against China’s aggression at the Line of Actual Control and in the Indian Ocean Region.
• Net security provider: India’s active role in Quad cements its stated goal of being the primary guarantor of peace in the Indian Ocean region.
• Technology and supply chains: Access to United States, Japanese, and Australian technology — semiconductors, clean energy, Artificial Intelligence — through Quad partnerships.

5. Strait of Hormuz — the geography to remember

6. Value box — key terms and bodies

Indo-Pacific

Strategic concept combining the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean as one connected space. India’s preferred formulation: “free, open, and inclusive” — not an exclusive anti-China alliance.

Strait of Hormuz

Connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. Separates Iran from Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Around 20–30% of world’s daily oil passes through it — the world’s most critical oil chokepoint.

KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Limited)

Joint venture under the Ministry of Mines to acquire critical mineral assets overseas — lithium, cobalt, nickel. Has signed agreements with Australia and Argentina.

Strategic autonomy

India’s core foreign policy principle — engaging all major powers without binding itself to any single bloc. Quad membership is consistent with this because it carries no military obligation.

Prelims practice question

Consider the following statements regarding the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue):

1. The Quad was first conceptualised in 2007 by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, went dormant after Australia’s withdrawal, and was revived in 2017.
2. The Quad is a formal military alliance with binding defence obligations between its four member nations.
3. KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Limited), which is acquiring critical mineral assets in Australia and Argentina, functions under India’s Ministry of Mines.

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct answer

(a) 1 and 3 only