In a significant move to bolster cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, foreign ministers from the Quad nations convened in New Delhi amidst escalating geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties brought on by the ongoing West Asia conflict. The meeting marked the first gathering of the Quad foreign ministers in nearly a year, featuring India’s external affairs minister S. Jaishankar, Australia’s foreign minister Penny Wong, Japanese foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and US secretary of state Marco Rubio.
The primary goal of these discussions was to rejuvenate the Quad alliance and enhance collaboration on crucial issues such as maritime security, economic resilience, critical minerals, infrastructure development, and disaster response. As part of the preliminary engagements, Jaishankar and Motegi held bilateral talks that focused on economic security and the ramifications of the West Asia crisis on energy supplies and trade routes. Both nations reiterated the significance of maintaining stability and secure maritime pathways in the Indo-Pacific.
Japanese foreign minister Motegi highlighted the profound structural changes the world is undergoing due to shifting global power dynamics and increasing conflicts. He stressed the shared responsibility of India and Japan in shaping the future international order. Australia’s stance was equally firm, with Canberra describing the Quad as an essential partnership for ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, especially given the current global instability.
A major agenda item for the meeting was the long-awaited Quad Leaders’ Summit. The summit, initially intended to be hosted by India last year, was postponed when US President Donald Trump did not confirm his participation. The last Quad Leaders’ Summit occurred in the United States in 2024, while the preceding foreign ministers’ meeting was held in Washington in July 2025.
India’s external affairs minister Jaishankar has recently emphasized the commitment of the Quad nations, which he termed “maritime democracies,” to uphold international law, secure trade routes, and maintain a rules-based order within the Indo-Pacific region. This meeting serves to reinforce those commitments amid a backdrop of growing global challenges.
