Strategic Evolution of QUAD from ‘Ocean Froth’ to Asian NATO, Volume 1

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.