ABSTRACT
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue has quickly emerged as a fulcrum of minilateralism in the Indo-Pacific. The Quad Plus represents a rather novel idea, borne from the uncertainty and global tensions surrounding the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grouping originated from a unique Quad 2.0 meeting initiated by former US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun on March 20, 2020, at the foreign secretary level. It is important to note the larger implications that the emergence of a Quad Plus dialogue can have for regional security in the post-pandemic period, which, by all signs, will be marked by notable differences. The symbiotic existence of both dialogues, with a rotational membership beyond the Quad four for the Quad Plus dialogue, can lead to the establishment of a new-era framework that seeks to provide aid to Indo-Pacific and Asian nations while strengthening bilateral and multilateral modes of interaction.
