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Surveillance, minerals and energy: What are the key takeaways from Delhi QUAD meet
The QUAD grouping's foreign ministers met in New Delhi on Tuesday, with EAM S Jaishankar chairing the meeting.
The Quad grouping of India, the US, Australia and Japan on Tuesday expanded cooperation in critical minerals and energy while unveiling new measures to boost maritime surveillance and port infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific, with external affairs minister (EAM) S Jaishankar calling the meeting “productive”.
The grouping's foreign ministers met in New Delhi, with Jaishankar chairing the meeting.
It was also attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.
Detailing the takeaways on social media after the meeting, Jaishankar pointed out key decisions finalised by the group. The first of the three is the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Initiative.
“Agreed on Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Initiative and on a Common Operating Picture in the maritime domain. Will consider an expert panel on Port Infrastructure, collaborate on a pilot port project in Fiji, and on undersea cables,” S Jaishankar wrote on X.
The second takeaway from the Quad meeting, according to the EAM, is a QUAD Critical Minerals Framework signed by India and the US.
“Finalised the QUAD Critical Minerals Framework. Also signed the India-US Critical Minerals Framework. QUAD is working with other like-minded countries in this sector,” Jaishankar wrote.
The third key takeaway from the New Delhi meetup is the initiative on Indo-Pacific energy security.
“Announced the QUAD initiative on Indo-Pacific Energy Security in technology, management, policy, international market analysis, and emergency response exercises,” he further wrote.
What other foreign ministers said
In his media statement, US Secretary of State Rubio said the Quad meeting decided to launch an Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Cooperation Initiative
It will leverage each of our country's maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indo-Pacific, he said.
Rubio also announced the expansion of the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative among the QUAD nations.
The US secretary of state also said the Quad has decided to roll out a new initiative to boost port infrastructure in the Pacific Islands.
"The reason why maritime security is so important, beyond the fact that current events remind us of what can happen when maritime security is impeded, is the fact that 60 per cent of global maritime trade passes through the Indo-Pacific," Rubio said.
He argued that it is a vital national interest not only to the four QUAD countries but also to countless countries around the world.
"The second initiative: we're going to be partnering on issues of port infrastructure, in response to insufficient port capacities in the Pacific Islands," he said.
"We're announcing plans to work with Fiji to advance that country's port infrastructure. It'll be the first time that the QUAD partners work together on a port infrastructure project," he said.
Australian Foreign Minister Wong said the QUAD recognised efforts towards a diplomatic resolution to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
"We recognised the importance of maintaining the principle of freedom of navigation and our opposition to any tolling proposition," she said, referring to Iran's plan to demand fees for transiting the Strait.
We are working together to strengthen cooperation against scam centres, particularly in Southeast Asia, Wong said.
The Australian foreign minister said the QUAD will initially coordinate maritime surveillance efforts in the Indian Ocean.
