Quad Ministers Launch Maritime and Energy Initiatives in New Delhi

Foreign ministers from India, the United States, Japan, and Australia convened in New Delhi on May 26, 2026, for the 11th Quad ministerial meeting. Hosted by S. Jaishankar, the group launched several strategic initiatives to stabilize the Indo-Pacific, including the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration (IPMSC) for real-time vessel tracking and the Quad Ports of the Future Partnership, which begins with a pilot port project in Fiji. The ministers also established a critical minerals framework pledging up to $20 billion to diversify supply chains and an energy security initiative focused on strategic fuel reserves.

The meeting addressed acute geopolitical crises, specifically the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following a US-Israeli war that began on February 28. The ministers condemned Iran's attempt to impose a permanent shipping toll system, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeling the action unlawful. The group also jointly condemned cross-border terrorism, citing the 2025 attacks in Pahalgam, India, and Bondi Beach, Australia, and criticized coercive military actions in the South and East China Seas.

The Government of China responded through spokesperson Mao Ning, who criticized the Quad as an attempt to form exclusive cliques and engage in bloc confrontation. Despite these tensions and internal pressures regarding U.S. trade tariffs, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. Following the multilateral session, Jaishankar and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong co-chaired the 17th Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue to discuss transitioning their economic ties to a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.