Motegi: Quad Deepens Hands-On Cooperation in Indo-Pacific

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told fellow Quad ministers that the New Delhi meeting conveys a powerful commitment to practical cooperation across the Indo-Pacific. In his opening remarks, Motegi thanked host S. Jaishankar and recalled attending the first ministerial in 2019, noting that the current session is already the eleventh and reflects the group’s growing influence. Motegi explained that rapid changes in the international order require an updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific framework. He called for regional countries to bolster their capabilities so they can chart their own futures, especially in economic security. The agenda, he said, should focus on concrete steps to strengthen supply chains, secure critical minerals, expand quality infrastructure, and improve disaster response mechanisms. Jaishankar echoed the urgency, observing that concentrated production and connectivity bottlenecks threaten resilience. He outlined recent advances in maritime security, technology cooperation, and humanitarian relief, while stressing the importance of strategic trust and transparent partnerships to meet the region’s distinct challenges and unlock new opportunities for sustainable development.