NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held meetings on Sunday with his counterparts from Australia and Japan in Washington. They discussed bilateral issues as well as matters related to the four-member QUAD group, which also includes the United States.
A QUAD ministerial is in the offing, and it would be one of the early multilateral assignments for the incoming Secretary of State Marco Rubio under the second term of the Donald Trump administration, once he is confirmed by the US Congress and sworn in.
While capitals around the world anticipate shifts in US foreign policy priorities, the QUAD appears to remain a steadfast commitment of the Trump administration. However, much of its future actions may depend on the evolving relationship between Beijing and Washington.
In their second meeting in the last three months, Jaishankar and Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya reviewed key areas of bilateral cooperation, including political, security, economic, technological, and people-to-people ties.
“They expressed satisfaction with the progress of exchanges between the two nations and agreed to continue strategic communication through regular dialogues, including the Strategic Dialogue and the 2+2 Dialogue of Foreign and Defence Ministers,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
Jaishankar invited Minister Iwaya to visit India.
In recognition of the 40th anniversary of the first Memorandum of Understanding on Science & Technology cooperation in 1985, both countries decided to celebrate 2025-26 as the India-Japan Year of Science, Technology, and Innovation.
“The meeting underscored the strong and enduring friendship between India and Japan, built on mutual trust, shared values, and a shared commitment to regional stability,” the ministry said.
“Delighted to meet FM @SenatorWong, a Quad colleague, in Washington DC today. As always, enjoyed our discussion on the state of the world,” Jaishankar posted on X after meeting Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Both ministers reviewed their bilateral partnership besides discussing regional and global issues.