The Quad Foreign Ministers agreed on the importance of deepening the agenda and intensifying their collaboration, EAM Jaishankar said
In a significant development, Foreign Ministers of the four Quad nations - India, US, Australia, and Japan - met in Washington DC within hours of the inauguration of the Donald Trump administration. During their meeting on Tuesday (January 21, 2024), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, expressed their commitment to strengthening regional maritime, economic, and technology security in the face of increasing threats. 

In an apparent reference to China, a Joint Statement issued after the meeting said the Quad member states strongly opposed “any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion”.

EAM Jaishankar described the meeting as “productive”, noting that the timing of the meeting underlines the priority accorded to Quad by its member states in their foreign policy.

“Attended a productive Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting today in Washington DC. Thank @secrubio for hosting us and FMs @SenatorWong & Takeshi Iwaya for their participation.

Significant that the Quad FMM took place within hours of the inauguration of the Trump Administration. This underlines the priority it has in the foreign policy of its member states.

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. 

The meeting today sends a clear message that in an uncertain and volatile world, the Quad will continue to be a force for global good,” he said on social media platform X.

The Joint Statement said the ministers reaffirmed their 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. 

“Our four nations maintain our conviction that international law, economic opportunity, peace, stability, and security in all domains including the maritime domain underpin the development and prosperity of the peoples of the Indo-Pacific. We also strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion,” the statement read.

The Quad Foreign Minister also expressed 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. “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,” they said in the Joint Statement.

EAM Jaishankar earlier held separate meetings with his counterparts from Japan and Australia to discuss bilateral, regional, and global issues.

During their meeting, EAM Jaishankar and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya discussed developments related to Quad in addition to reviewing the progress in bilateral cooperation.

Posting on social media platform X on January 19, 2025, he said, “Good to meet with FM Takeshi Iwaya of Japan. Reviewed the progress in our bilateral cooperation. Also discussed developments pertaining to Quad”.

“Delighted to meet FM @SenatorWong, a Quad colleague, in Washington DC today. As always, enjoyed our discussion on the state of the world,” he said on X after his meeting with the Australian Foreign Minister. This was their second meeting in recent months; EAM Jaishankar visited Australia in November last year.

It is worth noting that Quad was revived in 2017, during Trump’s first term as the US President. Since its regrouping in 2017, the Quad has announced the establishment of six working groups focusing on diverse policies and initiatives. 

India is expected to host the next Quad Leaders’ Summit later this year. The sixth Quad Leaders’ Summit was held in Wilmington, Delaware on September 21, 2024. Hosted by former US President Joe Biden, the summit was attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.