Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 10
10
Accepted
Paragraph: 88
Strengthen relationship with the Quad through functional engagement in working groups and forums
Recommendation
It is imperative that the UK strengthens its partnerships with regional allies to maintain and deliver a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. AUKUS, ASEAN and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (the Quad) serve different, but valuable, purposes in achieving regional security and stability, in line with the UK’s vision for the region. The UK should not consider seeking membership of the Quad in the short term. The UK should approach its relationship with the Quad incrementally whilst monitoring how the forum and its priorities develop in the coming years. The UK should seek to strengthen its relationship with the Quad through functional engagement in specific working groups and by participating in the more formal Quad- plus engagement groups.
Government Response Summary
The government supports the committee's recommendation not to seek Quad membership in the short term, agreeing to instead strengthen its relationship through bilateral and multilateral functional engagement with individual Quad members and by exploring options for "Quad Plus" engagement groups.
Paragraph Reference:
88
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The MOD supports the Committee’s conclusion not to seek membership of the Quad at this time and agrees with the recommendation to increase engagement through other channels. The Quad discusses a wide range of issues: security is but one of them. The members of India, the US, Australia and Japan matter hugely for our Indo-Pacific aspirations – both individually and mini-laterally (including in the Quad format), and the UK remains flexible and open to new ways to build cooperation. However, the Government has no immediate intention to seek membership of this grouping. We agree that currently the most effective way for us to progress our strategic efforts in the Indo-Pacific is by focusing on bilateral and multilateral functional engagement with Quad members and incremental engagement. The MOD will continue to prioritise our important bilateral engagement with each Quad member and will look at options for closer practical cooperation, including “Quad Plus” engagement groups. In the future the UK may wish to explore a more formal arrangement with the Quad, but this will be subject to members’ views.