NEW DELHI (AP) 鈥� Foreign ministers from Australia, India, Japan and the United States announced new initiatives on Tuesday on maritime security, port infrastructure and energy to boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific to counter concerns about China鈥檚 growing influence.
The announcements by the group of nations known as the Quad came after talks in New Delhi between India鈥檚 Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
Speaking after the meeting, Rubio announced a new Indo-Pacific maritime surveillance initiative to integrate the four countries鈥� surveillance capabilities and strengthen real-time information sharing across the region. He said the Quad would work with Fiji to upgrade port infrastructure in the Pacific islands, marking its first joint regional infrastructure project.
The ministers also launched an Indo-Pacific energy security initiative aimed at strengthening regional fuel and energy supply chains, with the U.S. set to host a Quad fuel security forum later this year, Rubio said.
鈥淲e are deeply committed to this partnership. It is a linchpin in a cornerstone of our global strategy as a nation,鈥� he said.
Separately, India and the U.S. signed a deal to strengthen cooperation on critical minerals as global concerns grow over reliance on China-dominated supplies.
The is a key strategic partnership for cooperation on maritime security, supply chains and regional strategy as China expands its military and economic influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Its members have repeatedly accused China of flexing its military muscles in the and aggressively pushing its maritime territorial claims. Beijing maintains that its military is purely defensive to protect what it says are China鈥檚 sovereign rights and calls the its economic growth and influence.
The Quad meeting comes days after U.S. a trip closely watched in New Delhi for signs of any shift in Washington鈥檚 approach toward Beijing.
Ahead of Tuesday’s talks, Rubio said that Washington wants the Quad to move beyond being a dialogue platform and take more concrete action on issues including maritime security and critical minerals. He also said officials were working toward a summit of the four leaders later this year, although no date has been announced.
The four countries had hoped to hold a leaders鈥� summit in India last year, but the plan was delayed because of including disagreements over tariffs.
Jaishankar described the talks as 鈥渁n exercise of considerable value,鈥� saying the ministers also discussed maritime trade, energy and fertilizer supplies, as well as critical minerals. He added that as economic activity, energy, trade and maritime commerce in the region grow, 鈥渢he responsibilities of the Quad will grow commensurately, and we must prepare for that.鈥�
The leaders also discussed and halted energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
Australia’s Wong said the Indo-Pacific was facing 鈥渁cute economic stress鈥� and warned that any closure of the strait would have serious consequences for regional energy security.
鈥淲e recognize the importance of maintaining the principle of freedom of navigation and our opposition to any tolling proposition,鈥� Wong said, referring to Iran鈥檚 plan to
She said the Quad reflects a shared commitment among four sovereign nations to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
鈥淭here is great alignment between our interests. We all share a vision for the Indo-Pacific, a region that is free and open,鈥� she said.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
