The Quad group comprising of India, USA, Japan, and Australia remained in abeyance for a decade after its inception in the year 2007 but it has again got a shot in the arm since the year 2017 as it emerges as a potent means to counterbalance Chinese dominance.

"Soon after QUAD’s launch, its obituary was written the very next year. But, it is very miraculous that it was revived in the year 2017 due to external circumstances. In fact, in the year 2019, there was a foreign ministers meeting as well. Now, it has not only revived but almost come out of age. The previous US President Donald Trump infused a new life into the Quad. So far the Biden administration also seems committed to the Quad. Another significant person who played a dominant role in shaping Quad was former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe which has been continued by present PM Yoshihide Suga," says Vishnu Prakash, Former Indian Ambassador.

"There are many phases of evolution for Quad. The first phase, Quad 1.0, starts in the year 2007 while the second phase could be called Quad 2.0 beginning in the year 2017. There is a basic difference between Quad 1.0 and Quad 2.0 as the latter one could be assumed to be the period when it has evolved. In the future, it will become more perfect. Over the 10 years have passed but still, there are issues that have to be sorted out," says  Prof. Tokenori Horimoto of Women's University, Japan.

"There should be organic growth for its grouping and there should be no hurry to add members to the Quad. Let the member countries decide on their own at their own pace. The countries such as France have shown a great great deal of interest in Quad. In the coming May 2021, France would be joining the USA and Japan for a joint military exercise in the South China Sea," notes ambassador Prakash.

"But I don't think South Korea may join Quad as it is very sensitive to Chinese interests due to economic reasons. But still, South Korea is an important power and it should be consulted on various occasions," according to Prakash.

"Here, the ASEAN is indispensable to the concept of free Indo-Pacific. But the difficulty for Quad is that the various ASEAN members have different levels of relation with China. Moreover, the ASEAN members only think from the point of view of economic relations with China," adds Horimoto.

"What connects the Indo-Pacific is the ASEAN region especially at the Malacca Strait. The ASEAN nations may not seek to pick or choose any alliance but they really want a free, democratic, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region," adds ambassador Prakash.