Will India join ‘Squad’ to boost security in South China Sea?

India has been invited to join the multilateral alliance Squad to prevent China's influence in the South China Sea. The Philippines wants India and South Korea to join Squad, according to a report by Bloomberg News citing Romeo Saturnino Brawner, the country’s military chief, on Wednesday.

What is Squad?

The Squad is an informal alliance formed last year with countries such as Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the United States. The defence forces of this alliance have conducted joint maritime activities in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines in the South China Sea.

Philippines' request to India

Ahead of the Raisina dialogue conducted in New Delhi, Brawner informed about his meeting with India's Chief of Defence Staff, “I’m going to talk to General Anil Chauhan this afternoon and I am going to open it up…I think we’re going to get a positive response.”

Brawner further said, “It is important that we really develop our self-reliance and we partner with other like-minded nations.

However, there is no official confirmation from India.

China's dominance in South China Sea

The Philippines' request comes after China conducted live-fire naval drills in international waters in the Tasman Sea, situated between Australia and New Zealand. This had become a concern for both countries.

Brawner stressed the need for collaboration between “like-minded nations” to exchange intelligence and hold joint military exercises and operations to counter China's dominance in the South China Sea. Additionally, he highlighted the issue of the artificial islands built by China in the South China Sea, speculating that it is a sign of “something big,” which could be a control on trade routes or an attack on Taiwan. Recently, Taiwan stated that China might invade the self-ruled island in 2027.

Amid growing concerns over the control of the South China Sea, India has avoided joining military alliances and opted for bilateral pacts for defence exercises.

Currently, India is a part of Quad, an alliance of the US, Japan, and Australia, which informally tries to keep a check on China's dominance in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Squad’s joint maritime activities are aimed at providing strategic responses to tensions in the Philippines’ waters in the South China Sea. The Quad is a tactical grouping that operates at a higher, more strategic level, across the Indo-Pacific.