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Episode Description
In this episode of the All Things Policy podcast, Vanshika Saraf and Abhishek Kadiyala examine the outcomes of the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting held in New Delhi on 26 May 2025. The conversation highlights a structural shift in the Quad's orientation, away from the security-forward posture of the Biden era and toward an economic security and supply chain framework shaped by the second Trump administration's approach to great-power competition. Vanshika Saraf and Abhishek Kadiyala analyse key outcomes, including the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Cooperation Initiative, the Ports of the Future project in Fiji, and the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Framework. They argue that this reorientation reflects Washington's attempt to position Quad partners as instruments of economic competition with China, rather than security partners, while the Quad Economic Security Act and broader US congressional legislation continue to quietly anchor the platform's agenda. The episode asks whether this pivot toward economic cooperation offers a more durable foundation for the Quad, or whether the absence of a Leaders Summit signals a more limited strategic ambition for the grouping's future.
Find our work here:
The India Radius by Vanshika Saraf: https://theindianradius.substack.com/
DC Dossier by Abhishek Kadiyala: https://dcdossier.substack.com/
2026 US Mid-term Racebook: https://dcdossier.github.io/Generational-Mid-terms/
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All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in