Top Quad diplomats stress maritime security, diplomatic solution for Hormuz crisis

The top diplomats of the US, India, Japan and Australia on Tuesday emphasized maritime security, called for a diplomatic solution to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and opposed any toll regime affecting maritime trade.

This came after the foreign ministers of the US, Japan, Australia and India met in New Delhi for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, commonly known as the Quad.

The Quad, a partnership among the US, Australia, India and Japan, was formed in 2007 and the New Delhi meeting came amid the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran.

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar hosted US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in New Delhi for the meeting.

Jaishankar described the talks as “substantive and productive,” saying the Indo-Pacific would become even “more important” to the world in the coming years.

“The responsibilities of the Quad will grow commensurately and we must prepare for that,” he said during a joint news conference.

Jaishankar said the four nations strongly believe that “economic resilience should be promoted, that supply chain should be strengthened, trusted and secure technologies diffused and production capacities enhanced.”

"We spent some time on the question of safe and unimpeded maritime commerce and reaffirmed the significance of scrupulously observing international law," he added.

Ensuring safe navigation in Strait of Hormuz

Wong, for her part, said the Quad recognizes “our obligation, our responsibility to provide real choices, particularly as strategic circumstances in our region are deteriorating.”

Amid “acute economic stress” and a “more unpredictable” world, she said: “We recognize the importance of maintaining the principle of freedom of navigation and our opposition to any tolling proposition.”

"We know economic volatility is increasing, and we know the consequences for our region" due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the Australian foreign minister said.

"We recognize the efforts of Secretary Rubio towards a diplomatic resolution to ensure freedom of navigation is restored and crucial energy supply flow," she added.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the ministers discussed the impact of tensions involving Iran on Indo-Pacific energy security and stressed the importance of diplomatic efforts to ensure free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

“We confirmed the importance of diplomatic efforts in ensuring free and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as stability to be brought to the Middle East,” he said.

The Japanese foreign minister added that the group supports initiatives aimed at strengthening critical mineral supply chains and energy cooperation to boost regional resilience and stability across the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East.