Quad unveils critical minerals and Indo-Pacific initiatives

The foreign ministers of India, Australia, Japan, and the US -- members of the Quad -- have emphasized their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, underscoring the need to respect international law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

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The bloc also launched key initiatives, including the Quad Critical Minerals Partnership, aimed at securing reliable and diversified supply chains to bolster regional resilience and shared prosperity.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japan's Takeshi Iwaya issued a joint Quad statement following their meeting in Washington.

The leaders discussed the opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific and how to further harness the Quad's strengths and resources to advance peace, security, and prosperity in cooperation with regional partners.

In their joint statement, QUAD nations announced a new, ambitious, and strong "agenda focused on four key areas: maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technology, and humanitarian assistance and emergency response, "adding that "through this renewed focus, we will sharpen the Quad's ability to leverage our resources to address the region’s most pressing challenges".

Joining hands to advance shared objectives for the region, the joint statement said, "QUAD cooperation with and support for ASEAN and its centrality and unity, the Pacific Islands Forum and Pacific-led regional groupings, and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) remain unwavering".

Additionally, the member countries expressed serious concern about the situation in the East China Sea and South China Sea.