2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami destroyed many homes, hundreds of thousands of lives were lost. It affected 14 countries. However, the disaster brought together four major countries, conducting joint rescue operations. This was the first time India, USA, Australia and Japan used their navies together for a common cause. And in 2007, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe organized this group into a strategic diplomatic platform known as the QUAD.

A new geopolitical drama is about to unfold, as Russia claims that the West, the USA is forcing India into a military alliance. Russian Foreign Minister Sergie Lavrov has explicitly stated that the QUAD comprising of countries like the USA, India, Japan and Australia is being forcibly militarised.
At a security conference in Eurasia, Lavrov stated, “We spoke to our Indian friends back then and they told us that their interest in joining the Quad is exclusively of trade of economic nature and cooperation in other peaceful areas,”.
He also added that the QUAD countries actively carried out Naval and Military exercises which were not supposed to be in the framework of QUAD.

Lavrov perceived that militarizing QUAD was part of a broader strategy saying, “they try to involve all the four countries into these exercises. And I’m sure that our Indian friends, they can see this provocation clearly.”
Lavrov strongly advocated for the revival of the Russia-India-China format (RIC). He said, “I would like to confirm our genuine interest in the earliest resumption of the work within the format of the troika — Russia, India, China — which was established many years ago on the initiative of (ex-Russian prime minister) Yevgeny Primakov, and which has organised meetings more than 20 times at the ministerial level since then, not only at the level of foreign policy chiefs, but also the heads of other economic, trade and financial agencies of the three countries,”
RIC was meant to be a strategic alliance between Russia, India and China to promote regional stability. However, post Galwan clash between India and China in June 2020, the platform has been suspended.
Lavrov also pointed out “Take note of the current developments in the Asia-Pacific region, which the West has started calling the Indo-Pacific region to give its policy a clear anti-China orientation — expecting thereby to additionally clash our great friends and neighbours India and China,”
On the other hand, US secretary of defence Pete Hegseth said that the United States plan to bolster its security ties with India. He also spoke about enhanced co-operation among the members of the QUAD. This is to counter increasing Chinese influence in the region.
Hegseth said, “We do not seek conflict with communist China. We will not instigate, nor seek to subjugate, nor humiliate. President Trump and the American people have immense respect for the Chinese people and their civilisation. But we will not be pushed out of this critical region, and we will not let our allies and partners be subordinated and intimidated.”
Clearly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s idea of reviving RIC has two major obstacles.
Bangladesh and Pakistan :
Neutralization of terrorism in Pakistan and extremism in Bangladesh near the borders of India is essential for revival of the RIC. As per reports, Indian Intelligence has been speculating Chinese funding of the Pakistani ISI and its role in orchestrating the ousting of Sheikh Hasina last year. Indian Intelligence have noted the involvement of the radical Bangladeshi student group Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS). ICS was involved in the protests which led to the ousting of Sheikh Hasina.
An official said, “The ISI-backed Jamaat-e-Islami had received substantial financial backing earlier this year to destabilise the Hasina govt. A significant portion of this funding is believed to have originated from Chinese entities operating in Pakistan,”

As per reports, ICS is also hand in gloves with Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI). HuJI is a Deobandi terrorist organization from Pakistan which also has an offshoot in Bangladesh. There is also credible evidence showing ICS members receiving training in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Statement from an intelligence officer said, “The ultimate objective of Jamaat or ICS is to establish a Taliban-type govt in Bangladesh, and the ISI has been assuring them of their support in achieving this goal. Their proximity became flagrant in the wake of the strengthening ties between the Indian and Bangladeshi governments,”
Sheikh Hasina was known to have a balanced approach upon matters concerning India and China. This balanced approach as we have seen did not work out well in the case of the former PM of Bangladesh.
When it comes to supporting terrorism in Pakistan, China is actually open about it. For instance, China has repeatedly blocked any attempt of blacklisting Pakistan terrorists at the UN. Global terrorist and Lakshar-e-Taiba leader Shahid Mahmood was shielded by China. The Chinese blocked the proposal to blacklist Mahmood.
As per the website of the US department of Treasury, Mahmood “has been a longstanding senior LeT member based in Karachi, Pakistan, and has been affiliated with the group since at least 2007. As early as June 2015 through at least June 2016, Mahmood served as the vice chairman of Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), a humanitarian and fundraising arm of LeT.”
China also protected Abdul Rehman Makki, the brother in law of 26/11 mastermind Hafeez Saeed. A joint proposal was in place supported by both USA and India but China blocked it.
One of the terrorists, Abdul Rehman Makki, was eliminated during Operation Sindoor.