Quad Ministers Call for Sustained Global Action Against Terrorism
NEW DELHI — Foreign ministers from the Quad countries on Tuesday condemned terrorism in all forms and called for sustained international cooperation to combat terrorist groups, their supporters and the use of emerging technologies for extremist purposes.
The statement followed a Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.
The Quad, made up of India, the U.S., Japan and Australia, said it remained concerned about online scam centers in Southeast Asia and nearby regions, linking them to wider transnational crime, including human trafficking, drug trafficking, sexual extortion, illicit financing and cybercrime.
The ministers said the four countries would deepen cooperation, particularly through law enforcement and regulatory engagement, to help partners combat online scam centers and related organized crime.
“We unequivocally condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism and the horrific terrorist attacks perpetrated at Pahalgam in India on 22 April 2025, and Bondi Beach in Australia on 14 December 2025. We call for decisive and sustained international efforts to combat terrorism in accordance with international law, including action against globally proscribed terrorists and terror entities and their proxies, affiliates, sponsors and financiers,” the joint statement said.
The ministers also pledged to work with regional and international partners to strengthen their capacity to prevent, detect and respond to terrorism, violent extremism and terrorist uses of emerging technologies.
“We are committed to working together with our international and regional partners in a comprehensive manner to strengthen their capacity to prevent, detect and respond to threats posed by terrorism, violent extremists who engage in violent, criminal, or terrorist acts and by the use of emerging technologies for terrorist purposes,” the ministers said.
The Quad ministers also reaffirmed their support for a free and open Indo-Pacific and said they would expand cooperation on initiatives intended to deliver practical benefits across the region.
The statement expressed concern about tensions in the East China Sea and South China Sea, saying the Quad opposed destabilizing or unilateral actions that threaten regional peace and stability.
“We remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea. We reiterate our strong opposition to any destabilizing or unilateral actions, including by force or coercion, that threaten peace and stability in the region,” the statement said.
The ministers cited concerns about interference with offshore resource development, obstruction of freedom of navigation and overflight, and unsafe actions by military aircraft, coast guard vessels and maritime militia in the South China Sea.
“We express our serious concerns regarding dangerous and coercive actions, including interference with offshore resource development, the repeated obstruction of freedom of navigation and overflight, and the dangerous maneuvers by military aircraft and coast guard and maritime militia vessels, especially the unsafe use of water cannons and flares, and ramming or blocking actions in the South China Sea. We are seriously concerned by the militarization of disputed features,” the statement said.
The ministers also discussed West Asia and reaffirmed support for diplomatic efforts. They emphasized the importance of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for navigational rights, maritime freedoms and the uninterrupted flow of global commerce through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.
The statement also condemned attacks on commercial shipping vessels and opposed measures inconsistent with international maritime law, including the imposition of tolls. (Source: IANS)
