Australian FM Penny Wong to arrive in New Delhi today for Quad meet
New Delhi, May 25
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong will arrive in New Delhi on Monday to participate in the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting and hold bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, amid growing focus on regional security and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
In an official media release issued ahead of her visit, Wong described the Quad as "a vital partnership" amid increasing global uncertainty. "Today I will travel to India to participate in the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting and hold the Australia-India Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue," she said.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the grouping, Wong stated, "In these uncertain times, the Quad is a vital partnership - four nations working together to shape a peaceful, stable and prosperous future for the Indo-Pacific region."
The Quad comprises Australia, India, Japan and the United States, and focuses on strengthening cooperation across key sectors including maritime security, resilient supply chains, critical minerals, infrastructure development, disaster relief and emerging technologies.
Wong said the four countries were "delivering concrete outcomes on shared interests including maritime security, critical minerals supply, infrastructure development and disaster relief."
During her visit, Wong will also hold the 17th Australia-India Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue with EAM Jaishankar. Stressing the growing significance of bilateral ties, she said, "Australia and India's partnership has never been more consequential."
She further noted that both countries, as Comprehensive Strategic Partners, are deepening cooperation in trade and investment, defence and maritime security, climate and energy transition, strategic technology, education and skills development.
"The Albanese Government will continue to strengthen Australia's relationships and work even harder in new and existing coalitions like the Quad as we keep building Australia's future in an ever less stable world," Wong added.
At the invitation of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Wong, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will participate in the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting on May 26.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the visit reflects continued high-level engagement among Quad partners and reinforces their shared vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
The official statement said, "In keeping with the Quad vision for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, the Ministers will build on discussions held in Washington, DC on 1 July 2025. They will exchange views on advancing Quad cooperation across priority areas, review progress on ongoing Quad initiatives, and reflect on recent developments in the Indo-Pacific region and other international issues of mutual concern."
The meeting is expected to focus on key areas of cooperation, including maritime security, resilient supply chains, infrastructure development, critical and emerging technologies, climate action, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Discussions will also review ongoing Quad initiatives aimed at strengthening regional stability and economic growth.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As an Australian watching this closely, I appreciate the continued engagement. But the Aussie government needs to be more transparent about what we're getting out of this partnership beyond military talks. Taxpayers want to know about real benefits - trade deals, climate cooperation, and people-to-people links, not just high-level meetings.
Critical minerals and supply chains are where India can really benefit from this Quad cooperation. We have the resources and the tech talent, Australia has the mines, Japan has the manufacturing expertise. But implementation has been slow - hope this meeting moves beyond talking shops to actual projects on the ground.
Penny Wong is a skilled diplomat, no doubt. But calling Quad a "vital partnership" sounds like standard diplomatic language. I'm more interested in the Australia-India bilateral dialogue - that's where the real substance lies. Our two countries have a lot of untapped potential in education, renewable energy, and defense manufacturing.
Free and open Indo-Pacific sounds great, but whose definition are we using? India has always been a proponent of ASEAN centrality and rule-based order. But if Quad becomes another NATO-style bloc targeting China, it could backfire. We need to balance strategic autonomy with coalition-building. Jaishankar is smart enough to navigate this.
The Albanese government is doing the right thing by keeping Quad active. Global stability is everyone's business. But I hope the disaster relief cooperation gets more attention - climate change is causing more cyclones and floods across the region, and we need practical humanitarian help, not just strategic posturing
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.