NEW DELHI: The foreign ministers of the Quad nations will meet in New Delhi on Tuesday against the backdrop of escalating tensions in West Asia, shifting dynamics in the Indo-Pacific, and rising concerns over global supply chains, maritime security and critical technologies.
The meeting, hosted by India in its capacity as the current chair of the Quad, will bring together External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. The ministers are also expected to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While the Quad was originally revitalised as a strategic platform focused on the Indo-Pacific, this year’s meeting comes at a time when conflicts beyond the region, particularly continuing instability in West Asia, are increasingly shaping the grouping’s agenda.
Officials familiar with the preparations said discussions are expected to focus heavily on the economic fallout of the West Asia crisis, including energy security, shipping disruptions and the strategic importance of maritime trade routes stretching from the Gulf to the Indo-Pacific.
Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and disruptions to commercial shipping have reinforced concerns among Quad countries about ensuring unimpeded freedom of navigation and safeguarding critical sea lanes that underpin global trade.
Speaking ahead of the meeting during talks with Motegi, Jaishankar underscored how developments in West Asia directly impact both India and Japan.
“What is happening in West Asia or the Middle East is important because we are both energy-importing nations, we are big trading nations, and we have maritime interests,” Jaishankar said. He also flagged “economic security issues” as a growing priority for major economies amid increasing geopolitical fragmentation.
The meeting is expected to focus on advancing the Quad’s vision for a “free and open Indo-Pacific” while reviewing progress on initiatives related to maritime security, infrastructure, technology, connectivity and supply chain resilience.
The Indo-Pacific remains central to the grouping’s strategic calculations as China continues to expand its military and economic footprint across the South China Sea and the wider region.
The Quad, comprising India, the United States, Australia and Japan, has steadily evolved into one of the most significant strategic coalitions in the region, positioning itself as a balancing framework amid Beijing’s growing influence.
Rubio, speaking in New Delhi after bilateral talks with Jaishankar, described the Quad as an increasingly important mechanism for shaping global events.
“The Quad is a forum of alignment between four countries which are not just strategically aligned on a bunch of key issues but four countries that have the ability, to varying degrees, to influence global events,” Rubio said.
He also pushed back against suggestions that the current US administration was less invested in the Quad framework than previous administrations.
“I want to remind you that the Quad, actually in the current form, started during President Trump’s first administration,” Rubio said. “It has moved on.”
“You will see much more growth, much more trade, much more maritime activity out there,” he added. “The work on Quad goes on.”
Tuesday’s meeting is also expected to help shape the agenda for the next Quad Leaders’ Summit, which India is likely to host later this year at a time when geopolitical crises across regions are increasingly interconnected.