The QUAD grouping comprising India, United States, Japan and Australia on Tuesday issued a strong and wide-ranging joint statement condemning terrorism, warning against coercive actions in the Indo-Pacific region and reaffirming support for uninterrupted global maritime trade routes. The statement came after the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in New Delhi under India’s chairmanship.
The meeting underscored the growing strategic importance of the Quad as the four nations reiterated their shared commitment to maintaining “a free and open Indo-Pacific.” Stressing the importance of international law and peaceful dispute resolution, the ministers declared that the future prosperity and stability of the Indo-Pacific region depends on respecting sovereignty, territorial integrity and maritime freedom.
In what was seen as a clear reference to rising tensions in regional waters, the Quad strongly opposed “destabilising or unilateral actions” aimed at altering the status quo through force or coercion. The statement reflected increasing concerns over aggressive posturing and military manoeuvres in contested maritime zones.
The grouping also raised alarm over developments in the East China Sea and South China Sea. It expressed “serious concerns” regarding dangerous and coercive actions, including the unsafe use of water cannons, flares, ramming incidents and obstruction of vessels in the South China Sea. Without directly naming any country, the language of the statement was widely interpreted as a message directed at expanding Chinese assertiveness in the region.
Reaffirming its support for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Quad stressed that all maritime disputes must be resolved peacefully and according to international law. The statement described the 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling on the South China Sea as a “significant milestone” that remains an important basis for peaceful settlement of disputes.
On the West Asia situation, the Quad nations voiced support for the uninterrupted movement of global trade through critical maritime chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. The grouping condemned attacks on commercial shipping vessels and opposed any future measures inconsistent with UNCLOS, including the imposition of tolls in strategic waterways. The statement comes amid heightened concerns over instability in the Gulf region and fears that disruptions in shipping lanes could impact global energy supplies and trade.
Counter-terrorism emerged as another major focus of the meeting. The Quad unequivocally condemned terrorism in all forms, including cross-border terrorism, and specifically denounced the April 22, 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam and the December 14, 2025 attack at Bondi Beach. Calling for stronger global cooperation, the statement urged decisive and sustained international action against terrorists, terror entities, their sponsors, financiers and affiliates.
The Quad also highlighted the growing threat posed by online scam centres operating in parts of Southeast Asia. Linking these operations to cybercrime, human trafficking, illicit financing and sexual extortion, the grouping pledged deeper cooperation among law enforcement and regulatory agencies to combat transnational organised crime networks.
On maritime cooperation, the Quad welcomed India’s operationalisation of the Indian Ocean Region programme under the Quad Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness through the Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region in Gurugram. The initiative aims to improve real-time maritime surveillance and information sharing across the Indo-Pacific.
The statement further reaffirmed support for ASEAN centrality, the Pacific Islands Forum and the Indian Ocean Rim Association. The Quad also expressed concern over the continuing conflict in Myanmar and its broader implications for regional peace and security.
The New Delhi meeting highlighted the Quad’s expanding agenda beyond security cooperation to include cyber threats, maritime awareness, economic stability and regional governance. As geopolitical tensions continue to rise across the Indo-Pacific and West Asia, the Quad’s latest statement signals a coordinated effort by the four democracies to uphold international law, ensure freedom of navigation and strengthen regional stability.
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