Malabar exercises show Quad prevails and thrives despite challenges

Despite recent tensions, particularly between India and the US over trade and policy, the Quad has demonstrated resilience through coordinated military exercises. The 2025 Malabar naval drills off Guam and Cope India exercises highlight India, the US, Japan, and Australia pooling resources to address regional security challenges, especially China’s assertive actions in the Indo-Pacific. While US commitment has fluctuated under Trump’s transactional approach, other Quad members have strengthened bilateral and multilateral cooperation, institutionalizing defence dialogues and strategic commitments. These initiatives underscore the grouping’s enduring relevance, showing that despite setbacks, the Quad continues to adapt and assert its collective capacity to maintain regional stability