Strategic Alliances: Quad, BRICS, and ASEAN
Strategic alliances such as Quad, BRICS, and ASEAN are coalitions formed between countries to address shared interests, enhance cooperation, and influence global affairs.
Scope
- Strategic alliances facilitate collaboration across various sectors including economic, political, and security domains.
- They provide platforms for member countries to discuss regional and global issues and coordinate policies.
Key Theories in International Relations
- Realism emphasises the pursuit of power and national interest, evident in alliances formed for security reasons.
- Liberalism highlights the importance of cooperation, economic interdependence, and collective security among nations.
Global Governance and International Institutions
- These alliances play a crucial role in shaping global governance by establishing norms and frameworks for international conduct.
- For example, BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) promotes a multipolar world and challenges Western dominance in international institutions like the IMF and World Bank.
- ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) fosters regional stability and economic growth in Southeast Asia through dialogue and collaboration.
Foreign Policy and Diplomacy
- Member states often align their foreign policies with alliance objectives to increase their collective bargaining power on the global stage.
- The Quad (United States, India, Japan, Australia) focuses on security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, enhancing diplomatic ties and strategic interests among its members.
Geopolitics and Strategic Studies
- These alliances influence geopolitical dynamics by balancing power between nations and regions, such as the growing influence of China.
- Quad enhances security cooperation in response to China's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.
Conflict, Security, and Peacebuilding
- Alliances often aim to prevent conflict and maintain peace through collective defence agreements and strategic partnerships.
- ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation encourages peaceful relations and dispute resolution among Southeast Asian nations.
International Law and Human Rights
- International law governs the conduct of states within these alliances, providing a framework for accountability and ethical standards.
- BRICS promotes socio-economic development and human rights as part of its agenda, though its member states have varying records on these issues.
Emerging Issues in International Affairs
- Strategic alliances are adapting to emerging challenges such as climate change, cyber security, and health pandemics.
- For instance, Quad has initiated discussions on climate resilience and disaster response in the Indo-Pacific region.
