Quad Not Targeting Any Geography, Says MEA Amid China's Opposition to 'Exclusive Groupings'

Quad's existence is not because we need to address a particular geography's concerns, says MEA as China expresses opposition to "exclusive groupings"

New Delhi, May 26

At a briefing after the Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting that concluded here earlier in the day, MEA Additional Secretary (AMS - USA & Canada) Nagaraj Naidu recalled that Quad countries had come together to deliver vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Quad's existence is not because we need to address a particular geography's concerns. I think the Quad came together way back in 2004. This is 2026; The Quad has been operating for a very long time. And as we always keep saying, our focus within the Quad has been to deliver practical projects," Naidu said.

"The Quad has come together at the time of the COVID pandemic, how the Quad came together and had the pandemic response that was put together in the delivery of vaccines. Similarly, I think a lot of partners don't realise that if you look at some of our previous fact sheets, India, through the Quad platform, we are delivering off-grid solar projects all along East Africa," he added.

He was responding to a question about China's response on the references to the Indo-Pacific in the Quad joint statemement.

"India, through the Quad platform, we are delivering off-grid solar projects all along East Africa. We are also doing projects in Fiji. So I don't think there is always an attempt to perhaps paint Quad in a particular manner," he said.

In its joint statement, the Quad Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to trusted and resilient infrastructure and announced plans to work with the Government of Fiji to advance port infrastructure and associated activities in the country.

India had hosted Quad Ports of the Future Partnership Conference hosted by India in October 2025.

Naidu spoke about Quad's efforts to enlarge the development agenda.

"Quad, if you look at what we do, the Quad activities are always informed, all our documents are publicly available, and if you look at the kind of documents we're bringing out, we are enlarging the scope of the developmental agenda," the MEA Additional Secretary added.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Tuesday said that Beijing is opposed to "exclusive groupings" and "bloc confrontation", saying cooperation between countries should contribute to regional peace, stability and prosperity and should not target any third party.

"China has stated its position on Quad on multiple occasions. Cooperation between countries should be conducive to regional peace, stability and prosperity and not target any third party. We oppose forming exclusive groupings or engaging in bloc confrontation," Mao said.

Quad joint statement voiced serious concern over the situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea.

"We remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea. We reiterate our strong opposition to any destabilising or unilateral actions, including by force or coercion, that threaten peace and stability in the region," the statement read.

"We express our serious concerns regarding dangerous and coercive actions, including interference with offshore resource development, the repeated obstruction of freedom of navigation and overflight, and the dangerous manoeuvres by military aircraft and coast guard and maritime militia vessels, especially the unsafe use of water cannons and flares, and ramming or blocking actions in the South China Sea. We are seriously concerned by the militarisation of disputed features", it added.

The Quad -- comprising India, the United States, Japan and Australia -- has increasingly expanded cooperation in areas including maritime security, critical and emerging technologies, infrastructure, health security and climate resilience.

— ANI