India is hesitant to join the SQUAD, a strategic military alliance that aims to counter China in the Indo-Pacific and consists of the US, Japan, Australia, and possibly the Philippines and South Korea. India is reluctant for a number of reasons:
India is hesitant to depend on the US for military assistance because of the unpredictable nature of US policies under former President Donald Trump, such as tariffs on friendly countries and ambiguous military alliance commitments.
While India is already a member of QUAD, which covers a wider range of security and non-security issues like technology, health, and climate change, SQUAD is seen as a purely military alliance aimed at deterring China. For India, this makes SQUAD seem unnecessary.
India and the US do not have a formal military alliance, in contrast to other SQUAD members. Furthermore, India and China have a disputed border, and the country wants to strengthen its bilateral relations without needlessly upsetting Beijing.
India is already at odds with China at the Line of Actual Control, and it does not have the naval capability to regularly deploy assets in the South China Sea. Consequently, India’s strategic priorities would not be in line with joining SQUAD.
India has historically shunned military alliances in favor of a multifaceted strategy that includes both economic engagement and bolstering its military capabilities in its dealings with China.
China might view joining SQUAD as aggressive, which could make India’s October 2024 efforts to mend fences with Beijing more difficult. Concerns regarding India’s position on Taiwan may also arise from this.
Although it is distinct from any involvement in SQUAD, India and the Philippines continue their bilateral military cooperation, which includes defense exports like the BrahMos missile. All things considered, India’s diplomatic efforts and strategic interests indicate that joining SQUAD would not be advantageous at this time.
