Strategic Positioning in Overlapping Minilaterals: India, the Quad, and the Rise of the Squad in the Indo-Pacific

The Indo-Pacific region has witnessed a rise of overlapping minilaterals which highlights growing tensions in this region particularly the assertive behaviour of China. Among these, the Quad (comprising the United States, Japan, Australia, and India) has evolved into a multifaceted platform which address wide spectrum of security and non-security issues and on the other hand Squad (comprising the United States, Japan, Australia, and Philippines) which focusses on immediate hard security challenges in the SCS. This paper examines the implications of these minilaterals for India. It employs a comparative analysis framework in analysing the Quad and Squad and argues that these groupings are not in competition but complementary to each other. It enables India to advance its Indo-Pacific objectives without the formal entanglement. This study also highlights the India’s strategic engagement with Philippines through defense cooperation, trade, naval exercises and maritime domain awareness initiatives, situating India as a proactive stakeholder in both the Indian Ocean and SCS region. In conclusion, the paper demonstrates that India’s engagement with these minilaterals strengthens its quest to maintain a rule based internal order, enhanced maritime influence and preserves the strategic autonomy in a fragmented Indo-Pacific.