Quad Foreign Ministers from India, Australia, Japan, and the US convened in New Delhi. Hosted by S Jaishankar, discussions focus on a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, bilateral ties, regional security, and strengthening supply chain resilience.
The QUAD representatives from India, Australia, Japan and the US on Tuesday clicked a family photo as the Quad Foreign Ministers meeting got underway in New Delhi.
At the invitation of External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio are in India to participate in the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting today.
US Secretary of State's India Visit
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived at the Delhi Airport on Tuesday to attend the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting. He was also accompanied by the US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor.
Earlier on Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed in Jaipur and visited the historic Amer Fort with his wife Jeanette Rubio and US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor. Rubio is presently on a four-day official visit to India. The high-profile trip is aimed at recalibrating bilateral ties, which have faced certain headwinds since mid-last year.
Japan-India Bilateral Talks
Earlier on Monday, Motegi and Jaishankar held bilateral-level delegation talks here in the national capital. A statement by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted that Motegi explained Japan's updated "Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)" and stated that to realise FOIP, Japan and India must serve as the driving force, and expressed his expectation for close Japan-India coordination, including through the framework of the Quad.
The statement highlighted that the Ministers agreed that, based on the "Japan-India Joint Vision for the Next Decade" launched during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Japan last August, they would accelerate cooperation between the public and private sectors, particularly in the field of economic security, including strengthening supply chain resilience for critical materials, as well as to promote economic growth in both countries through investment and innovation.
Australia's Stance on Quad Partnership
Ahead of her visit, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong hailed Quad as a vital partnership for shaping a peaceful, stable and prosperous future for the Indo-Pacific region in a statement shared ahead of the visit. She added, "While in India, I will hold the 17th Australia-India Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue with my counterpart, Minister for External Affairs Dr S. Jaishankar. Australia and India's partnership has never been more consequential."
Jaishankar on Indo-Pacific and Quad's Future
Meanwhile, on Sunday, ahead of the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in the national capital, the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted how the Indo-Pacific is set to become a big energy lifeline and that the leaders will have a "good story to tell" after the meeting.
Responding to media queries at a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding the QUAD grouping, Jaishankar recalled how the forum was commenced in its current form during President Donald Trump's first administration and that the discussions with Secretary Rubio have featured Quad right from the beginning. "Looking ahead, the Indo-Pacific is going to become more and more important with the passage of time. It will even become a big energy lifeline," he said. The External Affairs Minister stated that there is potential for growth between India and the US across areas such as energy and trade adding, "The work on Quad goes on and two days from now you will see us on the podium talking about the Quad. I can assure you we will have a good strong story to tell."
Meeting Agenda and Focus Areas
Discussions are expected to focus heavily on: Free and Open Indo-Pacific, reaffirming commitment to maritime security, freedom of navigation, and a rules-based order, evaluating progress on critical technology, climate resilience, and infrastructure delivery and exchanging perspectives on emerging security challenges in the region and broader international developments. (ANI)
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