NEW DELHI: In the backdrop of the Pahalgam terror attack, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar asserted that India will not hesitate to defend its citizens against terrorism and expects its strategic partners to stand in solidarity at a meeting of Quad foreign ministers.
“A word about terrorism in the light of our recent experience. the world must display zero tolerance. Victims and perpetrators must never be equated. And India has every right to defend its people against terrorism, and we will exercise that right. We expect our Quad partners to understand and appreciate that,” Jaishankar said, addressing his counterparts from the United States, Japan, and Australia.
The strong statement came as in the wake of the Pahalgam attack, which left 26 civilians dead — mostly tourists in a cross-border terror attack, underscoring India’s growing assertiveness on counterterrorism in multilateral groupings such as the Quad.
Set against the backdrop of growing concerns over China's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, the Quad meeting also reaffirmed the group’s commitment to a free, open, and rules-based regional order.
“Let me begin by saying that we are all committed to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Jaishankar said. “It is essential that nations of the Indo-Pacific have the freedom of choice, so essential to make right decisions on development and security,” Jaishankar said.
He outlined the Quad’s recent progress in key areas including maritime domain awareness, logistics cooperation, education, and political coordination and said the bloc was evolving to become “more cohesive, nimble and focused.”
The Quad, or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, has emerged as one of the cornerstone of India’s strategic engagements amid a volatile regional landscape. India is set to host the next Quad summit later this year.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed the strategic importance of the grouping. “We would like to do this every 5–6 months. These are important strategic partners and allies of the US. We have shared priorities — we talk about ideas and concepts,” he said.
Rubio also emphasised the need for secure and diversified supply chains, particularly around critical minerals — a veiled reference to overdependence on China. “Countries who are not part of the Quad will benefit from it. It is about economic development,” he added. Rubio’s first diplomatic engagement as the secretary of state was the meeting of Quad foreign ministers in January.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong reinforced the group’s shared vision for “peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” while Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya highlighted the “strength and unity” the Quad has demonstrated since its last meeting in Washington just six months ago. Just before the quad meeting Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting with Japanese counterpart.
