India, July 1 -- The first diplomatic engagement of the second Trump administration, after it settled in office, was to host Quad foreign ministers. The joint statement of the four maritime democracies (India, Japan, Australia and the US) committed to strengthening "regional maritime, economic, and technology security in the region" as well as "promoting reliable and resilient supply chains". However, Quad foreign ministers meet in Washington D.C., acutely aware that the sense of euphoria and continuity has made way for uncertainty. The Quad Leaders' Summit India was to host in September has been postponed and questions loom over the bloc's future as the US, under Trump, pursues its unilateral agendas on global trade, security, and economic development. The challenge before the leaders is to reaffirm the stated goals of the bloc, source funds and build capacities to deliver them. Trump 2.0 has been indifferent to multilateral blocs. The US pivot to bilateralism has influenced Quad members to align agendas with Washington's preferences. The 2024 Wilmington Declaration, for instance, stressed on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as a Quad goal. With Washington curtailing spending on global aid, the focus now is exclusively on disaster relief. The Quad Cancer Moonshot, which was to see a major Indian involvement, seems low-priority now. New Delhi's ongoing trade talks with Washington may even influence the scheduling of the Quad Leaders' summit. The considerations that led to the formation of Quad a decade ago remain. At a time when power blocs unravel and nations take refuge in bilateral arrangements to protect national interests, Quad must not lose sight of its long-term priorities. As for India, it is an opportunity to firm up ties with Japan and Australia, especially in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor and the churn in the neighbourhood....