What The US' New National Security Strategy Says About India And Quad

The Biden administration released its long-delayed national security strategy on Wednesday (12 October).

The 48-page national security strategy says the United States would focus on "out-competing" China by maintaining "an enduring competitive edge" and "constraining" a "profoundly dangerous" Russia.

On India, "the world's largest democracy," the document says Washington and New Delhi will "work together, bilaterally and multilaterally, to support our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific."

The strategy document says the Biden administration will "work with South Asian regional partners to address...the PRC's [People's Republic of China] coercive behavior. It mentions the "revitalized Quad," saying the grouping which brings the US together with Japan, India, and Australia, addresses "regional challenges and has demonstrated its ability to deliver for the Indo-Pacific," including in "promoting high standards for infrastructure."

"We are working closely with allies and partners, such as the Quad, to define standards for critical infrastructure to rapidly improve our cyber resilience, and building collective capabilities to rapidly respond to attacks," the new national security strategy says.

"The Quad and AUKUS (Australia, United Kingdom, US) will also be critical to addressing regional challenges, and we will further reinforce our collective strength by weaving our allies and partners closer together—including by encouraging tighter linkages between likeminded Indo-Pacific and European countries," the document reads.

"From the Indo-Pacific Quad to the US-EU Trade and Technology Council, from AUKUS to I2-U2 (India, Israel, UAE, US), we are creating a latticework of strong, resilient, and mutually reinforcing relationships that prove democracies can deliver for their people and the world," it adds.

On China, the document says the US will effectively compete with Beijing, "with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to do it."

"Beijing has ambitions to create an enhanced sphere of influence in the Indo-Pacific and to become the world’s leading power," the document says, adding, "Beijing frequently uses its economic power to coerce countries."

"Competition with the PRC is most pronounced in the Indo-Pacific, but it is also increasingly global," the document adds.