Washington: The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), comprising the United States, India, Japan, and Australia, is moving beyond diplomatic consultations and focusing on concrete initiatives aimed at strengthening security and resilience across the Indo-Pacific region, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said.
Speaking during a Congressional hearing on Wednesday, Rubio described the Quad as a key element of the Trump administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy and highlighted the growing momentum behind the grouping’s practical cooperation efforts.
“The Quad is an important alliance in the Indo-Pacific between India, Japan, and Australia,” Rubio said, noting that the four nations have already held multiple meetings and are planning further high-level engagements later this year.
Referring to a recent meeting of Quad foreign ministers, Rubio said the member countries are now concentrating on implementing actionable projects rather than limiting their engagement to policy discussions.
Among the major initiatives under consideration is an expanded maritime domain awareness programme designed to improve monitoring and information-sharing across the Indo-Pacific.
According to Rubio, the four nations are working together to pool resources and enhance their ability to track developments at sea, including potential threats to shipping lanes, undersea communication networks, and other critical infrastructure.
He said greater cooperation would help identify suspicious maritime activities, sanctions evasion, and emerging security risks while benefiting the broader region.
Rubio also disclosed that the Quad is exploring joint infrastructure projects in the Pacific Islands. One proposed initiative involves the development of a new port facility for a small Pacific island nation, with discussions reportedly underway with Fiji.
The US Secretary indicated that future Quad cooperation will increasingly emphasize practical outcomes, infrastructure development, maritime security, and regional resilience.
On the possibility of a leaders’ summit, Rubio expressed optimism that a Quad summit involving the heads of government of the four member countries could take place before the end of the year.
The Quad, which brings together the democracies of India, United States, Japan, and Australia, has become one of the most influential strategic groupings in the Indo-Pacific. The forum focuses on issues such as maritime security, resilient supply chains, infrastructure development, emerging technologies, and maintaining a free, open, and stable regional order amid growing geopolitical competition.
With inputs from IANS