Quad Leaders’ Summit in Doubt as US-India Spat Deepens

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Modi’s planned China visit and tariff dispute with Washington cloud Indo-Pacific’s key security forum

By TRH Global Affairs Desk

NEW DELHI, August 8, 2025 — Damascus moment like situations for the India-US relations in shadow of American President Donald Trump’s visible attempts to bully India have begun casting doubts on Quad. Commentators have begun prospects of Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelling the Quad Leaders’ Summit which is otherwise to be hosted by India.

Australian Financial Review (AFR) in an article stated that the Quad Leaders’ Summit may be cancelled. The report built the speculation with insights from Australian diplomats.

Incidentally, commentators have also begun spotlighting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese not yet meeting Trump. Besides, Albanese is facing a massive blowback within Australia for agreeing to allow imports of American beef, with local politicians stating on social media platforms that if the “US beef is fed to dogs, their life will be shortened to half.”

Additionally, Shigeru Ishiba, Japanese Prime Minister, is mired in political upheavals after signing a trade deal with the US under which Tokyo committed to invest $500 billion in the US with control vested in Trump administration. Besides the US, Japan, Australia and India are members of the Quad.

The AFR in its report stated that the Australian Prime Minister is keeping a close watch on rapidly escalating trade dispute between the United States and India. Tariffs on India and consequences thereafter “threaten to derail this year’s Quad leaders’ summit, potentially delaying a long-anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.”

“The Albanese government is reportedly concerned after Trump warned he would impose an additional 25% tariff on Indian exports to the US unless New Delhi sharply reduced purchases of Russian crude oil. The ultimatum has pushed Washington–New Delhi ties to their lowest point in recent years,” added the report by the Australian daily.

It also stated that Modi’s visit to China later this month is being seen by analysts as “a pointed rebuke to Trump.” Modi will embark on China visit to attend Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit on August 31. This will be his first visit to China in seven years.

“The Quad summit, expected in September, has yet to be confirmed, with sources suggesting it may be cancelled altogether,” said the report by the Australian daily. It mentioned that a planned meeting of Albanese with Trump failed to take place.

“A senior government source described the dispute between the world’s biggest economy and most populous nation as concerning,” said the report. It added that “Canberra still hoped the Quad talks would proceed. However, one leading analyst said they had been told Modi was unwilling to host Trump in India under current circumstances.”