Strategic Evolution of QUAD from 'Ocean Froth' to Asian NATO, Volume 1: Maritime Diplomacy with Global Power Perceptions

This two-volume set provides a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) and its growing importance in the Indo-Pacific’s strategic landscape. Tracing China’s shifting perceptions, from dismissing the Quad as “ocean froth” to portraying it as an “Asian NATO,” the work examines the grouping’s transformation into a central actor in regional security discourse.

Volume 1 brings together leading scholars to examine the Quad’s trajectory across historical, political, economic, and security dimensions. Contributions explore India–Australia cooperation in non-traditional security, India–Japan maritime diplomacy, and the conceptualization of Quad 2.0 as a heterarchical security complex. The volume examines critical minerals, cybersecurity, supply chain resilience, and Quad’s external engagements with Italy, France, the UK, and ASEAN.

A distinctive feature of the volume is its dual focus: first, on the deepening cooperation among Quad members, Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, across diverse domains; and second, on China’s evolving responses, which have shifted from indifference to open opposition. Through discourse analysis of Chinese strategic rhetoric, the study highlights the underlying contestation shaping Indo-Pacific geopolitics. These volumes fill a major gap in the literature and offer a forward-looking assessment of the Quad’s institutionalization and limitations. They are an essential resource for scholars, policymakers, and students studying multilateral security cooperation and great-power competition in the Indo-Pacific.