India and other Quad member nations on Tuesday expressed commitment to work towards a free, open and peaceful Indo-Pacific amid China’s assertive behaviour in the region.
The Quad Foreign Ministers made the pledge in a joint statement commemorating the 20th anniversary of “Quad cooperation”. India, the US, Australia and Japan came together 20 years ago to extend assistance in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, and that coalition subsequently took the form of the Quad.
In the last few years, the Quad has rolled out a number of initiatives addressing some of the most pressing needs and challenges of the Indo-Pacific region, including in areas of maritime security, infrastructure and connectivity. India is scheduled to host the next Quad Summit likely to take place in the second half of 2025.