Quad can’t exist without India, says Japanese Envoy

Japanese Envoy emphasizes India's crucial role in Quad, highlighting shared interests, cooperation, and the importance of U.S. engagement in Indo-Pacific.

India is vital to Quad and without it “Quad cannot exist”, the Japanese Envoy to India Ono Keiichi said on Monday (February 3, 2025), while terming the cooperation framework agreement among Japan, India, Australia and the U.S. as one of the “most important and powerful vehicles” to develop an open and free Indo-Pacific.

On Taiwan, the Envoy said a conflict could disrupt global supply chains, deeply affecting Japanese and Indian economies, which is why he believed peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are “our” common interest. “China holds the key to peace in the North East Asian region and beyond,” he said.

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“Without India, Quad cannot exist. In my personal view, Quad is for India in a sense... There are very big benefits to India and also engagement with India in Quad is a benefit to us. That’s why I am stressing that, we share various fundamental and strategic interests in this framework,” Mr. Ono said while speaking at the Observer Research Foundation.

“Now we have a new era since President Trump returned and it is for us, India and Japan, to strengthen the importance of the Quad to the U.S. and of course to Australia in the coming months,” the Envoy stated. “I have high expectations to India hosting the Quad summit later this year. Japan, of course, will work together with India on every aspect of it to make it very successful.”

Mr. Ono said Quad has implemented initiatives that benefited the countries in various areas including maritime security, critical and emerging technologies, cyber security, and counter terrorism. In this regard, he said the 2021 Quad vaccine cooperation initiative holds a clear showcase how the grouping was an open public good by bringing real tangible benefits to partner nations and also neighbours in the region.

“Quad is not just for us. This framework will be used as a public common good for the entire region,” he said, adding the Quad’s initiatives must continue to address common concerns and promote shared interests.