Quad foreign ministers reiterate vow to ensure free, open Indo-Pacific

The Quad will work together to respond to the future needs of the region, including cooperation in key areas such as maritime security, counterterrorism and emerging technologies, the foreign ministers of the grouping said on Tuesday while marking the 20th anniversary of cooperation between India, Australia, Japan and the US.

- Rezaul H Laskar

NEW DELHI:

The Quad emerged from efforts by the Indian government led by late former premier Manmohan Singh to coordinate with Australia, Japan and the US in responding to the fallout of the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004. Another key architect of the grouping that began as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue was late former Japanese premier Shinzo Abe, who highlighted India and Japan's role in nurturing the coupling of the Indian and Pacific Oceans while addressing a joint sitting of the Indian Parliament in 2007.

It has taken on a larger role in recent years with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm in India, and was elevated from initially meeting at the level of senior officials to the foreign ministers in 2019, and to the level of leaders in 2021.