India is in driver seat of Quad, says US envoy Eric Garcetti
The Hindu
US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti discusses India's role in the Quad and the potential of the partnership.
Jaipur
US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said India is in the “driving seat” of the Quad, while America is in the seat next to it with the “corrective steering wheel”, and added that it is up to India to "forcefully define" the nature of the diplomatic partnership.
Mr. Garcetti, speaking in Jaipur at the 17th edition of Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), used a rather unique analogy of 'eating, drinking and sharing a ride together' to explain the different roles of member countries in the Quad. The Quad is a diplomatic partnership between India, the US, Australia, and Japan to deepen economic, diplomatic, and military ties among the four countries.
“India is very much in the driver seat of the Quad... may be America is in the next seat with the corrective steering wheel, I think Japan has been an avid navigator from the beginning and Australia is really excited to be back in the car and asking if everybody has enough to drink and eat, and where we are going.”
"So it is a great time and we love these different roles. I want to sit in the back some other time and relax, but it is in some ways up to India to most forcefully define what we want to do with the Quad," said Mr. Garcetti on Feb. 3 in a session, "Heart of the Matter: Quad and the new Indo-Pacific Vision".
The 53-year-old said the Quad can be the "model for the world" as it is "very strong and stable", not just in geometry but in diplomacy as well – more than multilateral institutions such as the UN, which he claimed “don't have much efficacy”. "Bilaterals are always engaging but the two countries get a little bored of each other when it is just direct," he added.
Mr. Garcetti used another analogy to explain his point better. "It is like a dinner party, invite three people, it gets more interesting, four people, now you have a party, when others want to come to the party... now you know you have got something special," he explained.
Toby Kiers wins the Tyler Prize for her groundbreaking research on vital underground fungal networks and their ecological significance.
Syrian Army and Kurdish forces clash in eastern Aleppo, escalating tensions amid stalled negotiations over military integration.
South Korea's President Lee orders review to potentially restore the 2018 military pact with North Korea aimed at reducing tensions.
Claudette Colvin, a civil rights pioneer, has died at 86, remembered for her courageous stand against segregation in 1955.
Iraqi officials arrest Kazem Hamad, an Australian national security threat linked to arson attacks, following a police investigation.
U.S. confirms release of multiple detained Americans in Venezuela following Maduro's capture, signaling a potential shift in relations.
Iran protest updates: Death toll from crackdown on protests in Iran jumps to at least 2,571, activists say. Follow The Hindu for LIVE updates
Trump gestures at a critic during a Ford plant visit, prompting embarrassment from Ford's chairman amid election campaign efforts.
Bangladesh's interim leader warns of disinformation threats to February elections, urging UN support to combat misinformation.
Costa Rica's security chief reveals an uncovered assassination plot against President Chaves ahead of upcoming elections.
Kim Yo Jong declares South Korea's hopes for improved relations with North Korea as an unachievable illusion, criticizing recent diplomatic overtures.
Bill and Hillary Clinton refuse to testify in House Epstein probe, labeling it a partisan investigation amid potential contempt charges.
Scott Adams, creator of the iconic "Dilbert" comic strip, dies at 68, leaving a legacy of office satire.