Quad ministers meet at U.S. State Department, pledge action on Indo‑Pacific cooperation and critical minerals supply chains

An unnamed U.S. Department of State official welcomed representatives from India, Australia and Japan and said the ministerial meeting aims to convert discussions into coordinated action on shared priorities in the Indo‑Pacific.

“The next step in this great partnership is to actually begin to see concrete actions and steps being taken in conjunction with one another,” the U.S. Department of State official said, adding that later in the day the State Department would host business delegations to discuss practical cooperation.

The ministers described a shared objective of maintaining a free and open Indo‑Pacific and strengthening a rules‑based international order. An unnamed Indian representative said, “We’re all committed to ensure a free and open Indo Pacific,” and added that recent work had made core initiatives more efficient through streamlined working groups.

On security and counterterrorism, the Indian representative said, “India has every right to defend its people against terrorism, and we will exercise that right,” and asked the Quad partners to understand that position.

Economic cooperation and practical projects were emphasized. The U.S. Department of State official highlighted efforts to diversify “the global supply chain of critical minerals, not just access to the raw material, but also access to the ability to process and refine it to usable material.” The official said about “over 30 or 40” companies representing the four countries would be present later in the day to discuss business cooperation.

Australia’s delegate framed the grouping as a partnership of scale, saying the four countries “represent nearly a quarter of the world’s population, and over a third of global GDP,” and urged practical cooperation on issues such as maritime security, technology, and supply chains.

Speakers said the ministerial will focus on maritime domain awareness, logistics, education and political coordination, and that the working groups have been reorganized to be more “cohesive, nimble, and focused.” The Indian representative said India plans to host the next Quad summit and that the ministers had proposals on making that meeting productive.

Remarks also referenced global instability, with one delegate noting turmoil in the Middle East and Europe and stressing the need for intense strategic discussion and coordination in the Indo‑Pacific.

No formal decisions, votes or binding agreements were reported in the meeting remarks provided; the discussion centered on shared priorities and next steps for cooperation and coordination among the four countries.