Quad FM announce maritime and energy initiatives amid the Strait of Hormuz and the tense South China Sea
The four foreign ministers will attend a joint press conference in New Delhi on May 26, 2026. | Photo credit: Sushil Kumar Verma
Responding to challenges stemming from the conflict-ridden Persian Gulf and tensions in the South China Sea, the Quad on Tuesday (May 26, 2026) pledged to strengthen maritime and energy cooperation.
At the 11th Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the United States launched initiatives in energy security as well as maritime surveillance and domain awareness to assist in emergency operations and humanitarian response at sea.
“On the issue of maritime security, there are two big announcements. The first is the launch of the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration initiative, which will use the maritime surveillance capabilities of each of our countries in the Indo-Pacific to improve information sharing,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at a press conference on the lawn of Hyderabad House, Japan’s Moish Toishimit, where he joined Mr. Moish Toishimit. and Australian FM Penny Wong.
The four foreign ministers meet for updates
The second, he said, is “the expansion of the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness initiative, which can provide near-real-time commercial maritime domain awareness data to countries across the Indo-Pacific region.” Mr. Rubio also announced that India will host “the next iteration of the Quad at Sea mission, which will bring together our respective coast guards in one place and one ship.”
Law of the sea
The immediate context of the two initiatives found significant mention in the joint statement issued at the end of the meeting, which insisted on freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the South China Sea.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said during a visit to New Delhi earlier this month that the Strait of Hormuz is not part of any international waterway and, as a result, Iran has no obligation to comply with UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea).
A joint Quad statement contradicted Iran’s claim and condemned the attacks on merchant ships. She called for UNCLOS to be respected both in the Strait of Hormuz and in the Red Sea, where Iranian-backed Houthi militias continue to pose a threat to Western shipping, especially against the backdrop of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran that began on February 28.
The grouping also announced the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Quad Initiative to strengthen regional energy resilience and emergency response exercises.
“Safe Maritime Trade”
Mr Jaishankar also hinted at concerns over the continued stranglehold in the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the need for “safe and unrestricted maritime trade”. Referring to growing cooperation in areas such as surveillance and domain awareness, logistics networks, undersea cables, training and capacity building, and humanitarian and disaster relief, he said: “We will continue to deepen these areas in the coming times.”
Officials clarified that these initiatives were not aimed at any other regional powers. Later in the day, however, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning addressed the outcome of the Quad ministerial meeting in New Delhi and reiterated China’s opposition to “creating exclusive small cliques.”
The joint statement said the Quad considers the “rule of law” and “international law” essential to maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific region. “Amid conflicts, geopolitical tensions and strains on global supply chains, we reaffirm that the peace, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific depend on adherence to international law and the peaceful resolution of disputes,” the statement said.
Ms Wong announced the Quad Ports of the Future Partnership, which will see the group launch a port infrastructure pilot project in Fiji. “I was in Fiji a couple of weeks ago and I know how important it will be for this country,” the Australian foreign minister said.
Published – 26 May 2026 21:52 IST