Quad foreign ministers meet in Manila to back free and open Indo-Pacific
The foreign ministers of India, the United States, Australia and Japan met in Manila on Wednesday and reaffirmed support for a free and open Indo-Pacific. The meeting brought together External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. The talks took place in the Philippines and were framed around regional stability and cooperation with Southeast Asian states.
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In statements after the meeting, the ministers said they would work together to keep the Indo-Pacific stable and to support the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. Jaishankar said the group had reviewed the Indo-Pacific landscape and discussed recent developments, while also following up on the outcomes of the recent New Delhi meeting. Rubio said the four countries share a vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific grounded in the rule of law, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The joint statement said the Quad foreign ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and expressed strong support for ASEAN's unity and centrality. It also said the ministers discussed regional challenges and opportunities and agreed to support the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. Rubio added that the Quad remains a priority and said the group will meet again later this year.
The Manila meeting comes at a time when the group's cohesion is being watched closely by regional partners and by Beijing. The Quad has become one of the main diplomatic forums linking the four countries on Indo-Pacific security, even though it is not a formal alliance. Its emphasis on ASEAN centrality is significant because Southeast Asian states have long sought to avoid being forced to choose between major powers.
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The meeting also follows scrutiny over the US commitment to the Quad and uncertainty about a possible leaders' summit in Delhi this year. According to the supplied material, Rubio's visit in May and the Manila meeting were intended to reassure partners about the group's viability. The discussion therefore carried both symbolic and practical weight, signalling continuity in a regional framework that has been under close observation.
What remains unclear is the timing and format of the next Quad engagement later this year, including whether leaders will meet in Delhi. The joint statement did not set out new initiatives beyond reaffirming existing positions and support for ASEAN frameworks. The main issue to watch is whether the diplomatic messaging in Manila is followed by more concrete coordination on regional security and economic priorities.
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