Quad Foreign Ministers Likely to Meet at UN General Assembly to Review Indo-Pacific Cooperation

Foreign ministers from the Quad alliance, comprised of India, Australia, Japan, and the United States, are anticipated to convene on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York next month. Sources familiar with the matter have indicated that the purpose of the meeting would be to assess the collaborative efforts of these four nations in safeguarding a free and open Indo-Pacific region, especially in light of China’s heightened assertiveness across the area.

Though discussions are ongoing and a finalized date is yet to be confirmed, the Quad member countries are actively considering this meeting as an opportunity to address shared concerns and reaffirm their commitment to a stable Indo-Pacific region. The annual session of the UN General Assembly is slated to commence on September 19.

Should the meeting proceed as planned, it would mark the first gathering of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken since their previous assembly in New Delhi on March 3. The earlier meeting was focused on addressing prominent challenges within the Indo-Pacific region. The ongoing situation in Ukraine is also anticipated to be a topic of discussion if the upcoming meeting takes place.

During their March meeting, the foreign ministers jointly condemned the potential use of nuclear weapons within the context of the Ukraine conflict. They also expressed their opposition to any unilateral actions aimed at altering the status quo or escalating tensions in the South and East China Seas.

At the March meeting, the Quad Working Group on Counter-Terrorism was introduced as part of their collaborative initiatives to address emerging forms of terrorism.

Recent weeks have once again put China’s aggressive conduct into the spotlight. This includes the ongoing border standoff between India and China along the Line of Actual Control, as well as a recent incident involving a Chinese coast guard ship using a water cannon against a Philippine vessel transporting supplies to troops in the South China Sea.

While the exact date and final confirmation of the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting at the UNGA remain pending, the assembly is expected to provide a significant platform for these nations to reiterate their commitment to maintaining a peaceful and secure Indo-Pacific region.