Indo-Pacific pressure on energy security, free navigation through Hormuz: 10 key takeaways from Quad FM meeting in Delhi | Today’s news

The Quad nations – India, the United States, Australia and Japan – on May 26 unveiled an ambitious push to strengthen energy security, resilient supply chains and maritime cooperation across the Indo-Pacific amid rising geopolitical tensions and disruptions in global energy markets.

In a joint statement issued after the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi, the group reaffirmed their shared vision of a “free and open Indo-Pacific” anchored in secure trade routes, stable energy systems and stronger regional resilience.

Read also | Four foreign ministers meet LIVE: Jaishankar and Rubio seal deal on rare earths

The meeting was chaired and attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar US Secretary of State Marco RubioAustralian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

The four countries recognized that disruptions in global oil, gas and petrochemical markets have disproportionately affected Indo-Pacific states, particularly vulnerable developing countries and small island states in the Pacific.

What Jaishankar said at the Quad meeting

Earlier in his opening statement, EAM Jaishankar said that the meeting will discuss and decide on joint activities that take into account the many challenges and opportunities of the world.

“Our focus will clearly be on the Indo-Pacific, which is a specific Quad competency. On a global level, we need to address issues such as supply chain resilience, connection chokes, production and concentration of resources and gaps in critical infrastructure. Each offers a new case for more partnerships, stronger growth and realizing the promise of technology,” Jaishankar said in a statement.

The Indo-Pacific, the minister said, has its own special concerns. “This will require strengthening strategic trust, ensuring maritime security, fostering economic opportunity and fostering a deeper ethos of cooperation, and this is best done by fostering trusted and transparent partnerships,” Jaishankar said.

Key takeaways from the Quad statement

India, Australia, Japan and the United States of America are united by a common vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, underpinned by robust economic and energy systems, the statement said. Recognizing shifts in the global energy environment and escalating geopolitical complexities, we are accelerating cooperation to ensure energy stability and security, it said.

“We recognize the effects of disruptions in global markets, particularly in relation to oil, natural gas and petrochemicals, as well as basic commodities and critical downstream derivatives such as fertilizers, are impacting the Indo-Pacific region strongly,” the statement said.

Our leaders expressed a clear shared intention to work together on energy security and resilience, it said.

Leaders confirmed support:

1-Reiterate our firm commitment to ensure well-functioning, stable, transparent, secure and resilient energy markets.

2-Reaffirm the importance of resilient and diversified supply chains, including energy products and other downstream commodities.

3-Strengthen the importance of safe and uninterrupted trade flows, including navigation safety and security critical sea routes and infrastructure as critical to global economic stability and energy security. ·

4-Reiterate the importance of ensuring unrestricted freedom of navigation and the uninterrupted flow of global trade, including the Strait of Hormuz, and oppose any restrictive measures that impede the flow of commercial vessels.

5-Be aware of our shared commitment to maintain open trade flows energy products.

Leaders reiterated the importance of ensuring unrestricted freedom of navigation and the uninterrupted flow of global trade, including through the Strait of Hormuz, and opposing any restrictive measures that impede the flow of commercial vessels.

6-Confirm the importance of cooperation across the entire energy value chain, including the contribution of diversification to energy security. ·

7-Recognize the importance of energy resources for the resilience and prosperity of vulnerable developing countries v Indo-Pacific region and in particular to recognize the specific energy security vulnerabilities of small island developing countries such as the Pacific.

8-Maximize mutual support efforts and energy security needs of the region at a time of limited global energy markets.

Read also | ‘Strategic allies’: Rubio’s message to India as Jaishankar raises visa issues

9-Call on all energy market participants, including producing, transit and consuming countries, to maintain transparent and open energy markets to ensure stable availability of energy products in the Indo-Pacific region and globally in times of significant energy market instability and disruption.

10-Highlight the importance of regional initiatives to strengthen energy resilience, such as Japan’s Partnership On Wide Energy and Resources Resilience (POWERR Asia), India’s support for energy security in South Asia and Australia’s support for energy security in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, including through the US$2 billion Southeast Asia Investment Facility, Australian Development Investment and Support for Australian Development Investment ASEAN Power Gridas well as financial assistance to Pacific Island countries (including AUD 30 million in budget support for Fiji).

-To this end, the United States, Australia, India and Japan will work to identify areas of cooperation for the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Quad Initiative in technology, governance, policy, international market analysis and emergency response exercises through an engagement plan.

We will work with our partners in the Indo-Pacific to help strengthen regional energy resilience.

– This group effort would aim to recognize and leverage the unique resources and capabilities of each country’s energy sector, including strengthening their respective strategic petroleum systems.

-We will work with our partners in the Indo-Pacific to help strengthen regional energy resilience. To achieve this, the Quad will convene the Quad Fuel Security Forum to coordinate high-level discussions and facilitate collaboration.

What is a Quad?

The Four-way security dialogueor the Quad is a grouping of Australia, India, Japan and the United States that is maintained by talks between member countries. The dialogue is widely seen as a diplomatic agreement responding to increased China’s economic and political power.

The grouping was initiated in 2007 by then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with the support of Australian Prime Minister John Howard, then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US Vice President Dick Cheney.

China reacts to Quad meeting

China reiterated its position on the Australia-India-Japan-US grouping on Tuesday, saying cooperation between the countries should contribute to regional peace, stability and prosperity and should not target any third party.

“We also do not support the formation of exclusive cliques or block confrontation. Any cooperation should not undermine mutual trust and cooperation among regional countries,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said at a daily press conference.