Quad Foreign Ministers reaffirm commitment to free, open Indo-Pacific; pledge over $85 mn for trusted AI

By Aroonim Bhuyan

New Delhi. Foreign Ministers of India, Australia and Japan, along with the US Secretary of State, have reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific, pledging to deepen cooperation in economic security, critical technologies, maritime safety and regional connectivity.

At a meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 31, the Quad ministers reviewed progress on ongoing initiatives and outlined new measures to strengthen economic resilience, secure supply chains and address emerging security challenges in the Indo-Pacific.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs here on November 1, the ministers emphasised that economic security was central to global stability and prosperity, reiterating their commitment to developing reliable and open supply chains and trusted, resilient infrastructure. They expressed serious concerns over economic coercion, including arbitrary export restrictions and non-market policies and practices that create industrial overcapacity and disrupt supply chains in critical sectors.

Highlighting the strategic importance of major maritime routes to international trade and energy security, the ministers stressed the need to ensure uninterrupted commercial flows and the safe, unhindered passage of vessels and maritime crews without the imposition of tolls. They underscored the importance of protecting navigational rights and freedoms in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in accordance with international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

On emerging technologies, the ministers highlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and initiatives such as Pax Silica for future economic growth. They announced their intention to provide more than $85 million in technical and financial assistance to promote access to trusted AI technologies across the Indo-Pacific, including through the Quad AI Accelerator.

The four countries also voiced deep concern over the growing threat posed by online and cyber scams operated by transnational criminal networks. They condemned criminal groups involved in human trafficking and forcing victims to carry out fraudulent activities targeting citizens across the Quad countries. Such operations, they noted, steal tens of billions of dollars annually from people in their respective countries.

The ministers committed to dismantling these criminal networks and ensuring that those responsible, including their leaders, are held accountable.

They also expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the flash floods of August 26, 2026, along the China-Nepal border and reiterated their commitment to supporting regional partners during emergencies. In this context, they acknowledged India’s leading role as the first responder in Nepal’s rescue operations, alongside significant assistance provided by all four Quad countries.

Focus on economic security and critical minerals

Reviewing progress on economic cooperation, the ministers welcomed initiatives aimed at diversifying critical mineral supply chains and reducing dependence on individual suppliers.

Under the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative Framework announced in May 2026, the four countries have stepped up cooperation to recover critical minerals from electronic waste and scrap materials. They welcomed private-sector investments in waste collection networks, processing facilities and refineries to establish trusted recycling value chains.

The US announced a commitment of $10 million to support infrastructure and facilities in India and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries for recovering critical minerals from waste. The Quad countries will also explore ways to streamline export and import procedures to facilitate the cross-border movement of recyclable materials while ensuring compliance with existing regulations.

Energy security was another major area of discussion. The ministers welcomed the first-ever Quad Fuel Security Forum held in September, which focused on strengthening fuel security across the Indo-Pacific, including through enhanced strategic petroleum reserves and national fuel stockpiles.

The four countries also reviewed cooperation with Fiji on modernising key port infrastructure at Suva, Lautoka and Rokobili. The US Millennium Challenge Corporation is supporting Fiji in developing a Port Strategic Development Framework, while Australia is assessing the feasibility of establishing a new transshipment port facility.

To strengthen regional infrastructure capabilities, the Quad countries have so far provided more than 2,000 infrastructure fellowships across the Pacific, Southeast Asia and South Asia, helping develop technical expertise and skills among regional partners.

The ministers also announced the establishment of the first-ever Quad Business Leaders’ Forum, bringing together industry leaders, government representatives and policy experts to strengthen public-private partnerships and promote commercial opportunities in strategic sectors.

In a related development, export credit agencies from the four countries will meet in Tokyo on November 18 to explore practical areas of cooperation, building on their 2024 Memorandum of Cooperation.

The Quad countries are also accelerating efforts to develop trusted, high-speed and redundant undersea cable routes across the Indo-Pacific, while sharing best practices to improve the security and resilience of digital connectivity infrastructure.

Maritime security and regional surveillance

Maritime cooperation featured prominently in the discussions, with the ministers welcoming the successful completion of the second Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer mission.

The mission sailed from Chennai to Perth between September 25 and October 7, with representatives from all four countries aboard an Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel. It marked an important step towards improving interoperability and strengthening collective capabilities to counter unlawful maritime activities.

The countries also agreed to advance cooperation under the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration initiative, announced in May during the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi. The first exercise under this initiative is expected to be held during Sea Dragon 2027, with the objective of improving information-sharing and maritime domain awareness.

Further strengthening this effort, the Quad announced plans to hold its first Maritime Domain Awareness Track 1.5 Symposium under the Quad Maritime Training Initiative (MAITRI) in early 2027. The symposium will provide a platform for regional partners to exchange views on maritime surveillance approaches, emerging technologies and information-sharing mechanisms.

Cooperation in critical and emerging technologies

The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to developing secure and trusted communications networks, including next-generation 5G and 6G technologies, Open Radio Access Networks (Open RAN) and AI-enabled radio access networks.

Building on the Quad leaders’ endorsement of the Call to Action for 6G Leadership and Security, the countries will identify priority partners for cooperation in advanced communications technologies and develop a pipeline of trusted 5G projects. They will also explore future collaboration in AI RAN.

Recognising the strategic importance of semiconductors and AI hardware, the ministers stressed the need to establish secure and resilient supply chains for advanced and leading-edge technologies. They announced a new initiative to identify critical bottlenecks in semiconductor and AI hardware supply chains before they lead to disruptions.

The four countries are also continuing efforts to map digital identity standards to facilitate greater cooperation between their public and private sectors.

On cybersecurity, senior officials from the Quad countries met during October and agreed to further leverage their respective capabilities to promote a trusted and resilient cyber environment across the Indo-Pacific.

Strengthening disaster response capabilities

The Quad ministers also reviewed cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, emphasising the importance of improving regional preparedness and response capabilities in the face of natural disasters.

Australia, Japan and the United States will send observers to India’s Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise (AJHE-26) in November. The participation is expected to strengthen coordination and develop shared capabilities for responding to natural calamities.

Progress was also reported on the Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN), particularly the development of standard operating procedures to facilitate rapid and effective disaster response.

The second IPLN tabletop exercise, hosted by Japan’s Ministry of Defence in September, helped advance the proposed arrangements for sharing logistics capabilities and coordinating humanitarian operations.

The four countries agreed to continue strengthening their joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief logistics capabilities, including through the next IPLN exercise scheduled alongside the forthcoming Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise.

The meeting concluded with the ministers expressing their expectation of convening the next Quad Leaders’ Summit and Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, while reaffirming their commitment to sustained cooperation in promoting peace, stability and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.