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Quad meet in Delhi: Jaishankar flags supply chain, maritime concerns; Rubio says grouping moving to action

Statesman News Service

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with Quad counterparts Marco Rubio, Penny Wong and Toshimitsu Motegi during the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. | ANI video grab


With growing concerns over maritime security, critical mineral access and fragile global supply chains, the Quad nations on Tuesday pushed for deeper strategic coordination at the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar asserting that the Indo-Pacific must remain a driver of “global growth and stability”.

The meeting comes at a time when geopolitical tensions, supply disruptions and competition over strategic infrastructure are reshaping the Indo-Pacific landscape. Against that backdrop, the Quad countries, India, the US, Japan and Australia, sought to project the grouping as an action-oriented partnership focused on security, connectivity, technology and economic resilience.

Opening the meeting, Jaishankar said the Quad’s agenda would focus on the “many challenges and opportunities” before the world, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.

“We have to address issues like supply chain resilience, connectivity choke points, manufacturing and resource concentrations and gaps in critical infrastructure,” Jaishankar said, adding that these challenges also offered “a new argument for more partnerships, stronger growth and realising the promise of technologies”.

He said the Indo-Pacific required stronger strategic confidence, maritime security and “trusted and transparent partnerships”.

“Over the past several months, our officials have advanced collaboration across key core priorities, including maritime security, critical technologies, economic resilience and HADR,” the External Affairs Minister said, while noting “encouraging progress” across initiatives.

Referring to the shared outlook of the four nations, he said, “As maritime democracies, pluralistic societies and market economies, we share the responsibility towards a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Rubio says Quad moving beyond discussions

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Quad was increasingly evolving from a consultative platform into one focused on concrete outcomes.

“My first meeting as Secretary of State was the Quad, within minutes of being sworn in. I thought that demonstrated our commitment to this process,” Rubio said.

He added that the grouping was now “beginning to do that pretty aggressively in the areas of cooperation”.

Rubio said recent global developments had made the Quad’s work more relevant, especially in areas such as energy security, critical minerals, humanitarian response and freedom of navigation.

“Each of these four nations represented here today bring unique capabilities that collectively we can bring to bear on some of the most significant problems facing the world,” he said.

The US Secretary of State is on a four-day visit to India. He arrived in Delhi on Tuesday after visiting Jaipur and the Amer Fort a day earlier along with his wife Jeanette Rubio and US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor.

Japan, Australia back stronger Indo-Pacific coordination

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the Quad sent a “firm message” about promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“The Indo-Pacific nations should strengthen resilience and the necessary capacity to determine their own future, including economic security,” Motegi said while calling for accelerated Quad collaboration.

Ahead of the meeting, Motegi also held bilateral talks with Jaishankar in Delhi. According to a statement from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two sides discussed economic security cooperation and strengthening supply chain resilience for critical materials.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong described India as “a power that is so important in the shaping of the Indo-Pacific and the world”.

“We are four sovereign nations, have our own histories and interests, but there is great alignment between our interests,” Wong said.

She highlighted the Quad’s cooperation in areas including disaster response, undersea cables, critical minerals and maritime security, while stressing the need to preserve “freedom of choice” for Indo-Pacific nations.

Earlier this week, Jaishankar had said the Indo-Pacific was poised to become “a big energy lifeline” in the coming years and expressed confidence that the Quad would have a “good strong story to tell” after the meeting.

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