Quad building reliable, open supply chains and securing critical minerals, says Marco Rubio
Laying out key markers for a coalition against China’s assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region and in an attempt to assuage concerns over Donald Trump administration’s commitment towards the Quad grouping, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US, India, Japan and Australia are building “reliable and open supply chains”, supporting “next-generation technologies”, increasing “maritime cooperation”, and securing “critical minerals”.
Quad Foreign Ministers met for the third time in less than six months, after the gathering in New Delhi in May and in Manila in July.
Rubio met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Atlanta.
After the meeting, Rubio said he discussed “the real progress we have made in turning our shared priorities into real benefits for the Indo-Pacific”.
“As our nations continue building reliable and open supply chains, supporting next-generation technologies, increasing maritime cooperation, and securing critical minerals, the United States, Australia, India, and Japan are delivering results for our people and the nations in the region,” he said on X.
US ambassador to India, Sergio Gor said, “The third QUAD ministerial meeting in 6 months! Lots of ongoing work on joint initiatives.”
A joint statement read, “The Quad ministers underscored the importance of economic security in maintaining global stability and prosperity. They reiterated their commitment to building reliable and open global supply chains and trusted and resilient infrastructure. They expressed grave concerns regarding economic coercion, including through arbitrary export restrictions, as well as non-market policies … that result in overcapacity to disrupt global supply chains in critical industries.”
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“Recognising the importance of critical sea lanes, the uninterrupted flow of commerce, energy security, and the unhindered passage and safety of maritime crews and vessels without the imposition of tolls, they reiterated the absolute necessity to protect and preserve navigational rights and freedoms in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in accordance with international law as reflected in UNCLOS,” it said.
They welcomed the US commitment to provide $10 million to promote infrastructure and facilities in India and ASEAN countries that recover critical minerals from waste. “The Quad ministers highlighted the importance of AI and initiatives like Pax Silica to the future of economic growth and expressed their intent to provide over $85 million of technical and financial assistance,” it said.
The Quad ministers also expressed their “deep concern about the proliferation of online and cyber scams that pose a threat to national and international peace and security…The Quad countries are committed to dismantling these operations and holding transnational criminal groups and their leaders accountable.”
On supporting energy security in the Indo-Pacific, it said that the Quad convened the first-ever Quad Fuel Security Forum in September and discussed “our commitment to advancing fuel security in the Indo-Pacific, including by strengthening their respective strategic petroleum reserves and stockholdings”.
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On advancing commercial diplomacy, it said the Quad ministers announced the first-ever Quad Business Leaders’ Forum to foster greater ties across our public and private sectors.
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