Factsheet: Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi (May 2026)

The Foreign Ministers of Australia, India, Japan and the Secretary of State of the United States met in New Delhi, India, on 26 May 2026, for the 11th Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

The Ministers/Secretary of State welcomed recent and upcoming activities conducted by their four countries and in cooperation with partners to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific. Ministers announced key new initiatives to strengthen maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technology, and support humanitarian assistance and emergency response across the region.

Maritime and Transnational Security

1. The Quad partners launched the first ever Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration (IPMSC) initiative to leverage Quad country maritime surveillance in the Indo-Pacific, enhancing information sharing and maritime domain awareness capacity with an initial focus on the Indian Ocean Region as well as through subject matter expert exchanges and tabletop exercises.
2. The Quad partners expanded their work as part of the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA). Quad countries are developing a comprehensive Common Operating Picture (COP). The IPMDA initiative enhances maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific, harnessing real-time information in Indo-Pacific maritime zones which will have benefits for the entire region.
3. India will host the next edition of the Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission to strengthen interoperability and knowledge-sharing to best address unlawful maritime activities across the region.
4. India hosted two Quad Workshops on counter-terrorism in September 2025 focused on Countering the Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)/Drones for Terrorist Purposes and Preventing Terrorist Exploitation of New and Emerging Technologies. Quad partners will hold the Quad Counterterrorism Tabletop Exercise focused on state-sponsored terrorism threats and uncrewed aerial vehicles in Australia in June 2026.

Economic Prosperity and Security

5. The Quad partners are pleased to announce the new Quad Critical Minerals Initiative Framework, which will guide Quad partners to leverage economic policy tools and coordinate investment to strengthen critical minerals supply chains, including in mining, processing, and recycling.
6. Quad partners are pleased to announce the Quad Initiative on Indo-Pacific Energy Security to help strengthen regional energy resilience. Each country will leverage unique resources and capabilities from their respective energy sectors. Through this initiative, Quad partners will work to identify areas of cooperation in technology, management, policy, international market analysis, and emergency response exercises.
7. Following the Quad Ports of the Future Partnership conference hosted in India in October 2025, the Quad committed to identifying critical port projects that it can support to increase trade and economic prosperity by increasing port infrastructure and capacity for key Indo-Pacific corridors. As such, we are proud to announce that the Quad countries will work with the Government of Fiji, to advance port infrastructure and associated activities in the country.
8. The Quad has supported various fellowship programs over the years to bolster workforce skills development in the infrastructure, maritime, and STEM sectors. It will continue to explore opportunities that would advance prosperity and national security across the Indo-Pacific.
9. With undersea cable networks under increased risk, the Quad partners are delivering on a commitment to expand and secure resilient connectivity in the Indo-Pacific. In this regard, Quad partners have provided tangible support to ensure that all Pacific Island Forum countries are connected via undersea cables by 2026 to secure their digital futures.
10. Quad partners are providing important funding and technological assistance across energy technology supply chains in the Indo-Pacific, with combined efforts in this regard exceeding $25 million.

Critical and Emerging Technology

11. We welcome the progress made under the Quad Open Radio Access Networks (Open RAN) cooperation with Palau, which saw the successful selection of trusted suppliers in February 2026. This will strengthen Palau's access to secure 4G and 5G connectivity and contribute to the country's digital supply chain resilience.
12. The Quad partners intend to collaborate on Next-Gen Communication Standards. This project will focus on promoting Telecommunications and Open RAN technical standards collaboration, focusing primarily on 6G standards development. 
13. The Quad countries concurred on a Workshop on Digital Identity Standards to create a technical "translation guide" to enhance cross-border interoperability. The project aims to ensure that both Quad countries and their respective private sector companies can operate seamlessly with a common recognition for implementation of their respective digital identity standards.
14. Under the Advancing Innovations for Empowering NextGen Agriculture (AI-ENGAGE) initiative, Quad partner countries have announced over $6 million in awards for six international research projects. These research projects will result in tools for farmers for better crop yields, pest management, and food security leveraging technology innovations. The Quad is committed to using artificial intelligence, robotics, and sensing to transform agriculture and empower farmers across the Indo-Pacific through the initiative.

Humanitarian Assistance and Emergency Response

15. Quad partners are providing training to health professionals in the Indo-Pacific to strengthen responses to public health emergencies such as disease outbreaks, as well as providing tools that benefit the people and the region. Collectively, these efforts are valued at over $50 million.
16. The tabletop exercise (TTX) and Strategic Working Group meeting in Honolulu in 2025 significantly enhanced the Quad's disaster response capabilities and underscored the Quad's commitment to reliable and effective life-saving support for the people of the Indo-Pacific.