he Quad agreed on Monday to expand a maritime domain awareness initiative to the Indian Ocean to bolster security and counter illegal activities even as the grouping challenged China’s aggressive behaviour by reiterating its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region where “no country dominates”.
A meeting of Quad foreign ministers in Tokyo also finalised a mechanism to enhance coordination for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations, decided to harness digital and emerging technologies to improve food security under the AI-Engage programme, and roll out Open RAN (open radio access network) telecommunications in the Pacific Ocean archipelago of Palau.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war and China’s aggressive actions in the East and South China Seas figured in discussions between external affairs minister S Jaishankar, Australian foreign minister Penny Wong, Japan’s foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa and US secretary of state Antony Blinken.
Jaishankar told a media interaction after the meeting that the Quad is now “deeply and systemically” embedded in the foreign policy of the four countries and the grouping has built an expansive agenda that includes trusted telecom technology, underseas cable connectivity, infrastructure, critical and emerging technologies, cyber and health security, climate action, and counter-terrorism.
