Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, May 26: External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said that the central objective of the Quad grouping is to strengthen cooperation among member countries while extending support to others in the Indo-Pacific region.
Speaking at a joint press briefing after the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, Jaishankar was joined by foreign ministers from Japan, Australia and the United States. He said discussions focused extensively on issues critical to the Indo-Pacific’s stability and future.
The meeting brought together India, the United States, Japan and Australia — collectively known as the Quad — for their first ministerial engagement of 2026, following two meetings held in 2025.
Jaishankar said the four nations, described as maritime democracies located across different parts of the Indo-Pacific, exchanged perspectives on global developments and regional challenges.
He noted that cooperation among Quad members has steadily expanded, particularly in maritime security and related fields. These include surveillance and domain awareness, logistics coordination, undersea cable networks, training programmes, capacity building initiatives and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.
According to him, the grouping will continue to deepen collaboration in these areas in the coming period.
A significant portion of the discussions also centred on ensuring safe and uninterrupted maritime trade and reaffirming adherence to international law.
Jaishankar highlighted that the Quad countries, being market-driven economies, share a strong commitment to building economic resilience. This includes strengthening supply chains, promoting trusted technologies, enhancing production capabilities, and ensuring secure access to critical resources such as energy, fertilisers and minerals.
He said the talks also touched upon global concerns around energy security and availability of essential commodities.
Counter-terrorism was another key area of discussion, with the foreign ministers reiterating the need for zero tolerance towards terrorism. Jaishankar stressed that countries affected by terrorist attacks have the right to defend themselves.
He further emphasised that the Indo-Pacific region is set to become increasingly important in the global order, both economically and strategically.
Jaishankar added that the Quad nations — as open and democratic societies — aim to promote innovation and growth through greater engagement across sectors such as business, healthcare and digital technology.
He said expanded exchanges and joint initiatives would help strengthen the region’s overall development.
“A free and open Indo-Pacific has many dimensions. Today’s meeting reviewed progress across several areas and encouraged further cooperation in others,” he said.
Looking ahead, he noted that the Quad’s responsibilities will grow in line with the region’s rising global significance, requiring deeper coordination and preparedness among member nations.