Quad Officials Review Maritime Security, Technology and Economic Cooperation
Washington — Senior officials from India, the United States, Japan and Australia reviewed cooperation on maritime security, critical technologies and economic resilience as the four-nation Quad prepares for its next foreign ministers’ meeting.
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri hosted the Quad Sherpas’ meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, according to the U.S. State Department.
The United States was represented by Sergio Gor, special envoy to South and Central Asia and U.S. ambassador to India. Australia was represented by Elly Lawson, a deputy secretary in the country’s foreign ministry, while Japan was represented by Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Hiroyuki Namazu.
The meeting followed the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on May 26 and focused on implementing its outcomes and preparing for the next ministerial gathering.
“The Sherpas reviewed progress across ongoing Quad initiatives and discussed ways to further strengthen practical cooperation, with a shared commitment to advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the State Department said.
Discussions covered maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technologies, and humanitarian assistance and emergency response.
Officials also exchanged views on developments across the Indo-Pacific and the broader regional and global situation.
“The Quad Sherpas reaffirmed the importance of focussing on concrete, action-oriented initiatives,” the State Department said. “They looked forward to continued consultations in the lead-up to the next Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.”
The Quad has increasingly expanded its agenda beyond traditional security concerns to include technology, supply-chain resilience, infrastructure, disaster response and economic security.
The grouping brings together India, the United States, Japan and Australia and has also focused in recent years on maritime domain awareness, critical and emerging technologies and humanitarian assistance. (Source: IANS)
