The Promise of new QUAD

Context: Each member of ‘new QUAD’ have unique advantages in science and technology, innovation and start-ups which can make a significant contribution to advance shared technological goals.

Significance of emerging new QUAD to its member nations

• Technology-based partnerships with many like-minded countries: Members are uniquely placed to shape an innovation-based partnership. 
• Significance: Robust the existing cooperation in countries and focus on emerging technologies as per their respective national priorities.
• Start-up sectors sign a deal to collaborate on fintech and digital security: Agreement between Israel and Dubai will create regulatory sandboxes and accelerators for start-ups and provide them with market access opportunities. 
• Abraham Accords was signed: Resulted in multiple collaborative projects between both nations.
• Multiple projects ar4e going on among member nations: Robotic solar cleaning technology in between India and Israel in India; water and energy projects among Israel, the UAE and the US, etc.
• Tech-based collaboration in innovation and start-up sector: From Indian perspective, such partnerships can leverage venture capital funding, organic linkages between start-ups, and focus on innovation. 
• It can scale up and manufacture as they have a vibrant technology base with multiple defence PSUs and research establishments, private sector companies and several start-ups.
• Agenda for technology cooperation based on three technologies: Quantum science, Blockchain, and 3D printing. It offers applications for encrypted communications, cryptography, aerospace engineering, and manufacturing. 
• Providing an opportunity for India to build expertise: It offers development and applications.
• Collaborative and Customisation Possibilities are endless: Their dual-use nature offers the potential to give a technological edge to the four countries’ militaries.
• Innovation ecosystems in collaboration to shortlist, fund and develop technologies: Help to broaden the base of cooperation for members, rather than restrict it to the government-to-government domain. 
• Strengthen newly established cooperation: Each country with its unique advantage in the field of science and technology, innovation and start-ups can make a significant contribution to advance shared technological goals.

Way Forward: 

• Government push will be the essential catalyst to unlock the space for cooperation: Through seed-funding, academic collaborations, industrial partnerships and MoUs. 
• Countries needs collaboration in developing and adopting transformative technologies: It can lead country into emerging technologies, successfully reduced the capability gap and can attain a competitive advantage.

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