Russia's invasion of Ukraine this year not only has endangered European security but significantly creates graver implications for Indo Pacific security necessitating QUAD to be enlarged by admitting South Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia as members of QUAD.
Maintaining that Russian invasion of Ukraine was a Europe-centric security threat not impacting Indo Pacific security would be strategically incorrect. Russia has a seaboard on the Pacific Ocean around Vladivostok and in proximity to South Korea and Japan.
Russia is also in a Virtual Military Alliance with China which poses exponential threats to Indo Pacific security. Russian and Chinese strategic convergences focus intensely in 2022 to prompt US military exit from Western Pacific.
Increasingly visible in 2022 are joint Fighter Aircraft Combat Patrols of Chinese and Russian Air Force in close proximity of Japan and South Korea.
Also visible is Chinese Air Force Fighter aircraft 'buzzing' provocatively US Air Force, Canadian Air Force and Australian Air Force surveillance planes on routine patrols over South China Sea international airspace.
All of the above are provocatively hostile activities by a belligerent China and now a belligerent Russia post-Ukraine both in challenging confrontational postures against United States- led QUAD countries.
The enlarged threat to Indo Pacific security releases urgent imperatives to enlarge the membership of QUAD.
I would strongly recommend that QUAD be enlarged to QUAD Plus 3 to include South Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia. All of these three countries have pivotal strategic locations in Indo Pacific with special reference to Western Pacific and South East Asia ---all crucial to Indo Pacific security.
