Quad Nations Agree On Maritime, Energy Security Initiatives At Delhi Meeting

NEW DELHI, May 26: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday chaired the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, where member nations agreed on several initiatives related to maritime surveillance, critical minerals, energy security and Indo-Pacific cooperation.

The meeting was attended by Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The Quad nations agreed on the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Initiative and a Common Operating Picture in the maritime domain. They also finalised the Quad Critical Minerals Framework and signed the India-US Critical Minerals Framework.

In a social media post, Jaishankar said the Quad would consider setting up an expert panel on port infrastructure, collaborate on a pilot port project in Fiji and work jointly on undersea cable connectivity.

The Quad Initiative on Indo-Pacific Energy Security was also announced, focusing on technology, management, policy, international market analysis and emergency response exercises.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Jaishankar described the discussions as “substantive and productive” and said the focus remained on issues concerning the Indo-Pacific region.

He said the ministers discussed safe and unimpeded maritime commerce and reaffirmed cooperation among the Quad nations in areas including maritime surveillance, logistics networks, undersea cables, training, capacity building and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.

Jaishankar also stressed the importance of countering terrorism, saying the Quad nations, as democratic societies, remained committed to addressing common security threats.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Quad Critical Minerals Framework would help the four countries coordinate investments and strengthen supply chains in mining, processing and recycling of critical minerals.

Rubio said the Quad Initiative on Indo-Pacific Energy Security would improve regional energy resilience and announced that the United States would host a Fuel Security Forum later this year for Quad partners.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi underlined the importance of diplomatic efforts to ensure free and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and stability in West Asia.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the Quad had launched important initiatives in energy security and critical minerals, stressing that secure and reliable supply chains were essential for economic and strategic stability.

She also highlighted the “Quad Ports of the Future Partnership”, describing it as the strongest commitment by the grouping towards the Pacific region.

In a joint statement, the Quad nations reiterated their commitment to ensuring stable, transparent and resilient energy markets and emphasised the importance of uninterrupted global commerce and freedom of navigation, including through the Strait of Hormuz.

The member countries reaffirmed the need for resilient and diversified supply chains and agreed to enhance cooperation across the energy value chain to support global economic stability and energy security.

The Quad nations also acknowledged the energy security challenges faced by vulnerable developing countries and small island states in the Indo-Pacific region and agreed to intensify cooperation during disruptions in global energy markets.