The foreign ministers of the Quad nations—India, Australia, Japan, and the United States—convened in New Delhi to discuss enhancing collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region. This meeting comes at a time of escalating geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty stemming from the ongoing conflict in West Asia. The gathering marks the first Quad foreign ministers’ meeting in almost a year, aiming to reinvigorate the group’s efforts in areas such as maritime security, economic resilience, critical minerals, infrastructure development, and disaster response.
India’s external affairs minister, S. Jaishankar, hosted his counterparts: Australian foreign minister Penny Wong, Japanese foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and US secretary of state Marco Rubio. Before the main session, Jaishankar and Motegi engaged in bilateral discussions centered around economic security and the repercussions of the West Asia crisis on energy and trade. Both nations underscored the necessity of sustaining stability in the Indo-Pacific and maintaining secure maritime channels.
Japan’s Motegi highlighted the significant structural shifts the global landscape is undergoing due to changing power dynamics and increasing conflicts. He emphasized a shared responsibility between India and Japan to influence the future international order positively. Australia’s perspective on the Quad was equally supportive, describing it as crucial for maintaining peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, especially amid a more volatile global environment.
A focal point of the discussions is the much-anticipated Quad Leaders’ Summit. Originally set to be hosted by India last year, the summit was delayed as former US President Donald Trump did not confirm his participation. The previous Quad Leaders’ Summit took place in 2024 in the United States, while the last meeting of foreign ministers was held in Washington in July 2025.
Jaishankar has recently articulated the commitment of the Quad nations—referred to as “maritime democracies”—to uphold international law, secure trade routes, and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. This commitment is seen as increasingly vital in light of current global challenges, reinforcing the strategic importance of the Quad partnership in maintaining regional stability and promoting cooperative engagement.