New Delhi– External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar is set to embark on an official visit to the United States from June 30 to July 2 at the invitation of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The visit includes participation in the upcoming Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (QFMM), scheduled to take place in Washington on July 1.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the foreign ministers from India, the U.S., Australia, and Japan will build on the outcomes of their last meeting, which was held in Washington on January 21. The upcoming session will focus on key regional and global developments, particularly those affecting the Indo-Pacific, and will review progress on ongoing Quad initiatives ahead of the Quad Leaders’ Summit to be hosted by India.
“The Ministers are expected to deliberate on new proposals aimed at furthering the shared vision of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific,” the MEA said in a statement.
As part of his visit, Jaishankar will also inaugurate an exhibition titled “The Human Cost of Terrorism” at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on June 30. The exhibition aims to shed light on the global impact of terrorism and highlight international efforts to counter it.
The July 1 QFMM will be hosted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and attended by Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi. The meeting will mark Rubio’s second major diplomatic engagement since taking office on January 21, a day after President Donald Trump’s second inauguration.
Thomas Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, emphasized the importance of the gathering: “Next week’s meeting builds on the momentum to advance a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific. This is what American leadership looks like: strength, peace, and prosperity.”
Jaishankar earlier noted in a post on X that he had a preparatory phone call with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong ahead of the Quad talks.
This will be the first Quad foreign ministers’ meeting since the Pahalgam terrorist attack, adding a layer of urgency to regional security discussions. The exhibition at the UN, scheduled just before Pakistan assumes the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, underscores India’s focus on spotlighting the global cost of terrorism.
The QFMM is expected to lay the groundwork for the forthcoming Quad Leaders’ Summit in India, which will bring together President Trump, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. At their last meeting in February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his enthusiasm for hosting the summit and deepening regional cooperation.
While recent global attention has shifted toward conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, particularly Israel-Iran tensions and the war in Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific remains a critical priority amid rising concerns over China’s assertiveness in the region. (Source: IANS)
