QUAD is not over yet: 'Australia stands with India,' Australian Defence Minister's big statement in New Delhi

Australia stands with New Delhi in its fight against terrorism, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles, who is currently in India, said on Wednesday. He also acknowledged India's leadership in de-escalating military tensions with Pakistan following the terror attack in Pahalgam.

"We want to make clear that Australia stands with India and all countries in combating terrorism," said Richard Marles during his meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi.

The Australian Defence Minister conveyed condolences on behalf of the Australian government: "Our thoughts and our prayers are with the families of those who were killed in the appalling terrorist attack. We acknowledge and welcome the stoppage in military activity. We see this as an act of Indian leadership."

Marles' comments come at a time when questions are being raised about the future of the QUAD, especially after how the grouping reacted during India's military operation in Pakistan and PoK, where terrorist infrastructures were struck to avenge the terror attack in Pahalgam.

During this time, the US and other QUAD members - Japan and Australia - remained largely silent. US President Donald Trump avoided naming Pakistan while declaring a "historic ceasefire" and claimed credit for averting a nuclear war — drawing sharp criticism in India.

Marles, who is visiting India as part of a four-nation tour, said, "We're deeply grateful to your government, and to Prime Minister Modi and his leadership, which has seen the relationship between our two countries move to a completely different level...We feel we have never had a more strategic alignment with India than we do now."

He underlined that the defence relationship would be central to the outcome of the upcoming annual leaders' summit between the Indian and Australian Prime Ministers. "We expect the defence component of our relationship to play a significant part in the outcome of the annual leaders' summit between our two Prime Ministers. We want to be ambitious about the joint declaration of defence and security. We want to be ambitious regarding the maritime security and cooperation roadmap. We see both as two critical steps in elevating our defence relationship further."

During Operation Sindoor, some Indian and global experts questioned the relevance of Quad as Japan and Australia were seen not taking a clear side. Russian strategist Alexander Dugin called the grouping a "failure" and Indian commentators described the US response to Operation Sindoor as betrayal. "QUAD didn't help India at all in the moment of the real trouble. US just advised to stop the conflict. What an ally!" Dugin said.

Strategic analysts in India expressed similar concerns. "The trust and strategic links built over years of painstaking efforts between India and USA have become strained,” wrote Sushant Sareen, senior fellow at Observer Research Foundation. "India no longer trusts the US...Who can trust the Americans after this treachery." 

Sareen said India will now be far more cautious in engaging with any future US-led security arrangements. "The body might still exist,” he noted of the QUAD, "but India will be wary, very wary of anything the Americans propose." He also said that the US President, Vice President, and Secretary of State have effectively done what China wanted - "undermine QUAD".