A summit under the shadow of war

Foreign ministers from the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) — the United States, India, Japan, and Australia — convened in New Delhi on Tuesday for a meeting dominated by the global fallout from the Iran conflict. The war, which began on 28 February, has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most vital oil and gas chokepoints. The crisis provided an urgent backdrop as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong sought to deepen cooperation.

“We recognise the efforts of Secretary Rubio towards a diplomatic resolution to ensure freedom of navigation is restored.”

Critical minerals framework

A central outcome was a framework agreement between India and the United States to secure supplies of critical minerals and rare earths, covering mining, processing, and recycling. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the US embassy confirmed the deal, which aims to reduce reliance on China. China currently controls 60 percent of rare earth mineral deposits and processes 90 percent of the world's supply. The Quad ministers also announced a separate, broader critical minerals framework among all four nations to coordinate investment across the supply chain.

“The Quad is a cornerstone of our global strategy as a nation of the United States.”

Energy security initiative

Responding directly to the Strait of Hormuz disruption, the allies launched a new energy security initiative. A joint statement called for "unimpeded freedom of navigation and uninterrupted flow of global commerce" through the strait. The countries pledged to maximise mutual support during energy crises and announced the formation of a Quad Fuel Security Forum, which the US Department of Energy will host later this year. Wong noted the "acute economic stress" triggered by the strait's closure, linking it directly to the new cooperation.

Maritime surveillance and Fiji port project

The Quad agreed to an Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Cooperation Initiative to integrate monitoring capabilities and share near-real-time data on commercial shipping. Rubio highlighted that 60 percent of global maritime trade passes through the Indo-Pacific. In what was described as the group's first joint infrastructure project, the ministers announced a plan to partner with Fiji to develop port infrastructure, a move seen as countering China's growing presence in the South Pacific.

“As maritime democracies, pluralistic societies, and market economies, we share a responsibility towards a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Geopolitical balancing act

The meeting occurred just over a week after President Donald Trump's state visit to China, where he spoke positively of a "G2" cooperation between Washington and Beijing. This rhetoric has unsettled Quad partners, who fear being sidelined. Tensions between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi — over US tariffs, Trump's claim of mediating India-Pakistan border clashes, and India's Russian military purchases — have stalled a Quad leaders' summit since 2024. Japan and Australia are reportedly working to keep the alliance intact amid these strains.

“Unfortunately, the current US administration does not seem to understand or appreciate the importance of India's presence as an ally, and that has greatly disappointed Modi.”