New Delhi, July 4 : Senior officials from India, Japan, Australia, and the United States convened via video conference on July 3 to assess the progress of various Quad Working Groups in meeting the commitments set during the May 2023 Quad Leaders’ Summit.
The meeting was chaired by K. Nagaraj Naidu, Joint Secretary (Americas) from India’s Ministry of External Affairs; Elly Lawson, Deputy Secretary (Strategic Planning and Coordination Group) from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Fujimoto Kentaro, Ambassador in charge of Quad cooperation/Deputy Director-General of Foreign Policy Bureau from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary (East Asian and Pacific Affairs), along with Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary (South and Central Asian Affairs) from the U.S. Department of State.
During the meeting, the officials explored new avenues for enhancing the Quad’s collaboration in delivering public goods in the Indo-Pacific region. Discussions covered various sectors, including health security, digital public infrastructure, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), climate resilience, maritime domain awareness, counter-terrorism, and telecommunication resiliency through undersea cable connectivity.
The meeting also provided a platform for exchanging views on key regional and international issues of mutual interest. The officials emphasized the Quad’s commitment to a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific, reaffirming the centrality of regional institutions such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
The officials anticipate continuing regular consultations leading up to the next Quad Leaders’ Summit, which will be hosted by India.
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