NEW DELHI: In the first major diplomatic event of the second Donald Trump presidency, the Quad group of countries consisting of the USA, India, Japan and Australia on Tuesday opposed any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion while reaffirming their shared commitment to strengthening a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The foreign ministers of the grouping, meant to have a countervailing impact on the aggressive Chinese behaviour, said in a joint statement after an hour-long huddle in Washington that they are “committed to strengthening regional maritime, economic, and technology security in the face of increasing threats, as well as promoting reliable and resilient supply chains.”
US Secretary of State Rubio on Tuesday hosted External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Penny Wong from Australia and Japan's Iwaya Takeshi for his first multilateral meeting as the top American diplomat at the US State Department.
Both the first Trump and Biden administrations considered the Quad as essential to shifting focus toward the Indo-Pacific region, particularly as a counterbalance to China’s assertive actions on issues of sovereignty. The Quad leaders held their first formal summit in 2021.
The joint statement reaffirmed the four countries shared commitment “to strengthening a Free and Open Indo-Pacific where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty, and territorial integrity are upheld and defended.”
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to international law, economic opportunity, peace, stability, and security in all domains including the maritime domain underpinning the development and prosperity of the peoples of the Indo-Pacific.
They reiterated their commitment to “strengthening regional maritime, economic, and technology security in the face of increasing threats, as well as promoting reliable and resilient supply chains.”
India will be hosting the summit of QUAD leaders later this year. We look forward to advancing the work of the Quad in the coming months and will meet together on a regular basis as we prepare for the next Quad Leaders’ Summit hosted by India.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stressed the role of the Quad as a "force for global good" and highlighted the significance of the Quad in ensuring a free, open, and stable Indo-Pacific. He said: “Our wide-ranging discussions addressed different dimensions of ensuring a free, open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Agreed on the importance of thinking bigger, deepening the agenda and intensifying our collaboration.”
Echoing Jaishankar Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the invitation for Quad foreign ministers to attend Trump's inauguration showed an “iron-clad commitment” to close cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.