External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar emphasized on Monday that the collaboration among Quad nations is crucial for maintaining a free, open, stable, and secure Indo-Pacific region. Speaking at the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tokyo, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar underscored the enduring and growing significance of the grouping.
In his opening statement, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar highlighted the Quad’s broader commitment to global welfare. “It is only our collaboration that can ensure that the Indo-Pacific remains free, open, stable, secure, and prosperous,” he stated.
He further stressed the importance of strengthening political understanding, expanding economic partnerships, enhancing technology collaborations, and deepening people-to-people connections within the Quad. “Our meeting should send a clear message that the Quad is here to stay, to act, and to grow,” Subrahmanyam Jaishankar asserted.
The Quad, comprising India, Japan, the United States, and Australia, was formally established in November 2017 to devise a strategic framework for ensuring free and open sea routes in the Indo-Pacific region.
The South China Sea, a critical junction between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, is a focal point of this strategy. China claims the majority of the South China Sea, while The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan have counterclaims over this maritime area.
