U.S., India Have Been Too Cautious in Building Quad, Biegun Says

  • U.S. to help India strengthen its defense capabilities
  • U.S. comments came before planned ministerial meetings

Stephen Biegun

Photographer: Petras Malukas/AFP via Getty Images

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The U.S. and India have been “too cautious” about China’s reaction to developing their informal grouping with Japan and Australia, Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun said.

The grouping -- known as the Quad -- is not intended to be exclusive and any country seeking a free and open Indo-Pacific could be a part of it, Biegun said in a speech in New Delhi. He is in India as part of preparations ahead of visits by Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper for ministerial meetings planned later this month.