On its 20th anniversary, Quad reiterates support for free & open Indo-Pacific | India News

NEW DELHI: Quad foreign ministers issued a joint statement Tuesday to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Quad cooperation, reaffirming commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and to working together in responding to the future needs of the region.
As four partners, India, Australia, Japan and the US under the Quad mechanism share a vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific that is peaceful, stable, and prosperous, underpinned by effective regional institutions.According to the statement, the ministers reaffirmed “unwavering support” for Asean’s centrality and unity as well as mainstreaming and implementation of the Asean Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
“We respect Pacific-led regional architecture, foremost the Pacific Islands Forum. We are also steadfast in our support for the Indian Ocean Rim Association, the region’s premier organisation,” said the statement .
The joint statement is significant for India as it prepares to host the next Quad summit in 2025. While there have been concerns about the incoming Trump administration’s commitment to alliances and partnerships, foreign minister S Jaishankar has expressed confidence Trump will continue to support Quad like he did during his first term as president. Amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the region, successive US presidents have backed Quad. While the grouping was revived under Trump with meetings at the level of foreign ministers, his successor Joe Biden upgraded Quad to the summit level.
Twenty years ago, as the statement recalled, in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, Australia, India, Japan and the US came together in service to the people of the region for the first time as the grouping now known as the Quad. The tsunami was one of the worst disasters in history, claiming the lives of nearly a quarter million people and displacing 1.7 million across 14 countries.