Washington/New Delhi
Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar participated in a fruitful meeting of Quad foreign ministers in Washington, a day after the swearing-in of US President Donald Trump and his administration, in which it was agreed to strengthen the agenda and enhance cooperation. The Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting was held between the new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Dr. Jaishankar. A joint statement issued by the four countries said they look forward to taking the work of the Quad forward in the coming months and will meet together on a regular basis to prepare for the next Quad Leaders Summit to be hosted by India.
Dr Jaishankar, in a post on He said, “Participated in a fruitful meeting of Quad Foreign Ministers in Washington DC today. Thank you to Marco Rubio for hosting us and Penny Wong and Takeshi Iwaya for participating in the meeting. It is significant that the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting took place within hours of the inauguration of the Trump administration. “This underlines its priority in the foreign policy of its member states.”
The External Affairs Minister said, “Our wide-ranging discussions addressed various dimensions of ensuring a free, open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. There was agreement on the importance of thinking big, strengthening the agenda and enhancing our cooperation. “Today’s meeting sends a clear message that the Quad will remain a force for global good in an uncertain and unstable world.”
A joint statement by the four members said, “We, the Secretary of State of the United States of America and the Foreign Ministers of Australia, India and Japan, met today in Washington, D.C. Met to reaffirm their shared commitment to strengthening a free and open Indo-Pacific region where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity are upheld and protected. Our four nations are steadfast that international law, economic opportunity, peace, stability and security in all areas, including the maritime domain, are the foundation for development and prosperity for the peoples of the Indo-Pacific. “We strongly oppose any unilateral action that seeks to change the status quo by force.”
“We are committed to strengthening regional maritime, economic and technological security in the face of growing threats, as well as promoting reliable and resilient supply chains,” the statement said. We look forward to taking the work of the Quad forward in the coming months and meeting together regularly to prepare for the next Quad Leaders Summit hosted by India.”
