About

• The grouping of four democracies– India, Australia, US and Japan –known as the quadrilateral security dialogue or quad, was first mooted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007. Quad was revived in 2017. 
• Quad is projected as four democracies with a shared objective to ensure and support a “free, open and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region.
• With growing concerns in all four quad countries about Chinese foreign policy and regional influence, the group has found renewed relevance. 

Why in News?

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to join the U.S. President Joseph Biden, Australian PM Scott Morrison and Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga for a virtual summit of the Quadrilateral Framework (Quad) — the first time leaders of the Indo-Pacific grouping are meeting.

Significance

• The Quad meeting, that China has referred to as an “Indo-Pacific NATO”, will be watched most closely for signals on how the grouping will deal with the challenge from Beijing’s recent moves in the Pacific as well as at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh. 

Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pm-to-attend-first-quad-summit-on-march-12/article34046467.ece