Fostering Stability and Economic Growth

Gaurav Saini (right) is a foreign policy and conflict resolution expert who participated in the Quad Leaders Lead On-Demand (LLOD) exchange program in 2023. (Photograph courtesy Gaurav Saini)

Gaurav Saini, a foreign policy and conflict resolution expert, is a fellow and lead for operations and strategy at the New Delhi-based Council for Strategic and Defense Research. In 2023, he participated in the Quad Leaders Lead On-Demand (LLOD) exchange program, funded by the U.S. Department of State, and visited Washington, D.C. and San Francisco in March for a 10-day tour.

Administered by World Learning, the LLOD program seeks to create and empower a network of think tank opinion leaders to harmonize messaging on key areas of Quad cooperation. The program also aims to better inform stakeholders of the tangible benefits of the Quad partnership among Australia, India, Japan and the United States, and its role in the Indo-Pacific region.

During the exchange visit, Saini and the other participants mapped out communication and outreach strategies on a range of topics related to the Quad through skill-building and discussion sessions, meetings and brainstorming sessions. They also interacted with officials from the State Department and visited the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Hoover Institution.

Excerpts from an interview.

What do you think the Quad can contribute to the Indo-Pacific region for better security, prosperity and connectedness?

The Quad has immense potential to shape the Indo-Pacific region in numerous ways. Firstly, the collaborative efforts of the Quad can significantly enhance security through joint military exercises, intelligence sharing and maritime security initiatives. This can effectively promote stability and ensure the unrestricted movement of trade and connectivity.

Moreover, the Quad’s combined economic strength can play a pivotal role in fostering prosperity by promoting infrastructure development, technological innovation and trade facilitation. By investing in the region’s infrastructure projects, they can improve connectivity, which is a vital driver of economic growth and regional integration.

What are the opportunities and challenges for the Quad?

The Quad can leverage the unique strengths of each member country, such as Japan’s technological expertise, India’s demographic dividend, Australia’s resource abundance, or the United States’ innovation, to tackle challenges collectively. Additionally, the Quad alignment on democratic values and rules-based order can promote a framework that respects sovereignty, transparency and inclusivity.

Despite the challenges to overcome, such as balancing diverse interests, it is imperative to navigate regional power dynamics and address historical tensions. Ensuring that the Quad remains an inclusive mechanism and doesn’t escalate into a confrontational bloc is vital.

Please share some examples where the Quad has been successful in bringing positive changes in the Indo-Pacific region.

The combined strengths of the four partners have been channeled toward building the bureaucratic muscles necessary to respond to immediate and future crises across sectors. Through six leader-level working groups on issues like climate, critical and emerging technologies, cyber, health security partnership, infrastructure and space, the Quad can show regional players that it is invested in the issues that impact the region.

The group has shed perceptions of its China-centrism by consciously focusing on people-centric, nontraditional security threats. In addition, it has launched affirmative initiatives such as the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness, STEM fellowships and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).

The nature of the issues that the Quad has focused on reflects problems that countries in the region face.

Please share your thoughts about U.S.-India cooperation in connection with the Quad.

In connection with the Quad, U.S.-India relations are mutually beneficial. While at the bilateral level, relations are on the upswing and will continue to be so, working together on the Quad supplements their cooperation in an area of mutual interest. India’s role is particularly important for the United States within the Quad as it serves as a bridge to other developing economies.

What kind of role are you planning for yourself in the future related to the Quad and the Indo-Pacific region?

My plans involve advocacy around the Quad’s role and importance in the region. This includes launching a Quad podcast, initiating a research and dialogue project with experts from other Quad countries, and, at a later stage, a Quad monitor—a microsite to track the progress of the Quad.

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