US planning two meeting of QUAD nations in a year

The Trump Administration has said that it is planning two meetings of the Quad countries—India, Japan, Australia and the US—in a year, amid reports there is a disagreement among the members on upgrading the level of engagement.

According to reports, the US wants to enhance the level of engagement between the quadrilateral (Quad) grouping to the level of an international secretary, but the Indian side wants to keep it to the joint-secretary level.

“We are working and discussing planning of the next Quad session. I think two meetings a year is probably a good tempo with other working group meetings at lower level, expert level,” Alice Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, said.

Asserting that the architect would benefit from substance, Wells said they want to build up the substance. “Then what do we transfer into or add to the Quad discussion whether it’s maritime domain awareness, all of our countries experience in this area and need to develop it further with our partners,” she said at an event at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a top American think-tank.

At this stage the Quad member countries are looking to create a evidence of what it means for four democracies to work together and what can they put on the table that provides alternatives to other countries in the region who are looking for partners to pursue development and infrastructure development, she said.

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