Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting Highlights: Must stand together against terror, S Jaishankar to Quad counterparts after meeting

Addressing the joint press conference, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said India’s initiative to bring together the coast guards of the four Quad nations reflects growing operational cooperation within the grouping.

He announced that the Quad will launch a Critical Minerals Framework as well as a new Energy Security Initiative aimed at ensuring stable and reliable energy supplies among member countries. Rubio said the meetings have produced “real concrete deliverables” that can be shared with participating nations and the wider world.

On maritime security, he highlighted two key initiatives: the launch of the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Cooperation Initiative, which will integrate the maritime surveillance capabilities of Quad countries to improve information sharing across the Indo-Pacific, and the expansion of the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative, designed to provide near real-time commercial maritime tracking data to regional partners.

At the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the grouping has completed 10 years and the latest meeting sent a strong and unwavering message of commitment to advancing its shared vision.

He said the ministers also discussed major regional security issues, including the denuclearisation of North Korea, and expressed appreciation for the support received from partner countries. Motegi further noted deliberations on the situation in West Asia, highlighting concerns over disruptions linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran.

(Inputs by Pranay Upadhayay)

At the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced what she described as the “strongest ever commitment” to the Quad, underscoring an expanded focus on maritime security and regional cooperation.

She said the Quad countries will work together to ensure freedom of navigation in international waters, with enhanced coordination on surveillance among partner nations. Wong also highlighted plans to share satellite data to help combat illegal fishing, reinforcing collective efforts to strengthen maritime domain awareness and uphold rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.

(Inputs by Pranay Upadhayay)

After the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the 4 member nations, as open and democratic societies, continue to advance innovation and prosperity through deeper exchanges across sectors such as business, healthcare and digital cooperation. He noted that these collaborative efforts strengthen the region as a whole.

"As democratic nations, we also devoted attention to countering the common threat of terrorism. There must be zero tolerance for terrorism, and nations subject to terrorist attacks have the right to defend themselves," he said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting concluded on a “very productive” note, with the four maritime democracies agreeing to deepen cooperation across key strategic areas.

"We've just concluded a very substantive and productive meeting of the Quad foreign ministers. Much of the discussions and indeed the bilateral exchanges were devoted to the current state of the world. Being Quad, we naturally focused on issues of particular relevance to the Indo-Pacific. Because we are four maritime democracies located at different ends of the Indo-Pacific, the exchange of perspectives was an exercise of considerable value," he said at a post-meeting joint press conference.

At the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio thanked External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the government for hosting the high-level engagement, noting that the visit follows recent bilateral discussions as well as the multilateral meeting.

Simplifying the purpose of the grouping, Rubio said the Quad is moving beyond being a platform for discussions to one focused on delivering concrete action. He said the goal over the past year has been to operationalise cooperation and turn shared concerns into coordinated responses.

He added that the relevance of the Quad’s agenda has only increased amid recent global developments, and expressed confidence that further progress would be made in strengthening practical cooperation. Highlighting the grouping’s strength, Rubio said the Quad brings together four strategic partners with complementary capabilities that can be deployed to address major global challenges.

At the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the gathering sends a clear message to the world that the Quad will continue to strongly promote cooperation towards a free and open Indo-Pacific.

He said Indo-Pacific nations must strengthen their resilience and build the capacity needed to determine their own future, including in the domain of economic security. Motegi added that he looked forward to frank discussions at the meeting, with a focus on accelerating collaboration among Quad partners.

At the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Australia's Penny Wong said the grouping is increasingly delivering tangible outcomes while working to secure a free, open and stable Indo-Pacific. Speaking at the high-level dialogue, she said the Quad meets in “the world’s largest democracy,” describing India as a key power shaping both the Indo-Pacific and the wider world.

Wong recalled earlier discussions in Washington, noting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had spoken about the importance of “choices” for countries in the region, particularly in terms of security and the assertion of sovereign interests. She said this principle lies at the core of Australia’s engagement in the Quad.

Emphasising convergence among the four members, she said they remain sovereign nations with distinct histories and interests, but are united by a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. She highlighted that the Quad has already delivered concrete outcomes, including coordinated responses to natural disasters and cooperation in critical areas such as infrastructure development, undersea cables, maritime security and critical minerals.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting will focus on advancing shared activities while taking into account both global challenges and emerging opportunities. Speaking ahead of the talks, he said the Indo-Pacific remains the “specific limit” and central focus of the Quad, even as discussions will also address wider global concerns such as supply chain resilience, connectivity bottlenecks, manufacturing concentration risks, and gaps in critical infrastructure.

Jaishankar added that these challenges underscore the need for stronger partnerships, deeper collaboration and greater use of emerging technologies. He noted that the Indo-Pacific also presents its own set of strategic concerns, requiring enhanced maritime security, stronger economic choices and greater strategic confidence, supported by “trusted and transparent partnerships.”

Highlighting preparatory work done over recent months, he said officials have already advanced cooperation across key priorities including maritime security, critical technologies, economic resilience and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR). Calling the progress “encouraging,” he stressed that the Quad—comprising maritime democracies, pluralistic societies and market economies—shares a responsibility to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific that continues to drive global growth and stability.

India-Australia- Japan-US Quad Foreign Ministers meet in Delhi.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio departed for New Delhi from Jaipur airport on Tuesday, where he is scheduled to attend the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in the national capital later today.

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In recent years, the Quad has launched a series of initiatives aimed at addressing key challenges in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in areas such as maritime security, infrastructure development and regional connectivity.

At the last Quad summit held in Wilmington, US, in 2024, leaders of the grouping announced significant measures to deepen cooperation on maritime security across the Indo-Pacific. Today's meeting is also expected to play a crucial role in setting the broad agenda for the next Quad summit, which is likely to be hosted by India later this year.

(PTI)

The Ministry of External Affairs has said the Quad’s vision for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” will remain at the centre of discussions during the foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi. The ministers will exchange views on expanding cooperation across priority sectors, review progress on existing Quad initiatives and discuss recent developments in the Indo-Pacific along with other international issues of shared concern, as per the Ministry. People familiar with the preparations said the talks are also expected to cover major global flashpoints, including the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia, while assessing strategic coordination in the Indo-Pacific amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the region.

(PTI)
 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Japanese counterpart Motegi Toshimitsu on Monday held wide-ranging talks focusing on economic fallout of the West Asia crisis in view of disruptions in energy supply chains. Motegi is in New Delhi to attend a meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Quad nations.

"India and Japan have a special strategic and global partnership and that signals that our ties have a larger implication, larger importance and larger impact," Jaishankar said in his opening remarks at the meeting.

In a post on social media after the meeting, he said the discussions focused on "various facets of our cooperation including economic security, trade, energy, supply chain resilience, shipping, technology and innovation, and people-to-people ties."

"Also shared views on global and regional developments including the West Asia situation and its implications. As we approach the 75th anniversary of our diplomatic ties, our Special Strategic and Global Partnership continues to deepen and diversify for mutual benefit," Jaishankar added.

In his opening remarks, the External Affairs Minister also made a mention of the Quad meeting and said it will discuss how to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific.

(PTI)