Washington: The foreign ministers of the Quad grouping on Saturday announced plans to provide over $85 million in technical and financial assistance to expand access to trusted Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the Indo-Pacific even as the US committed to providing $10 million for recycling critical minerals in India and ASEAN countries.
“The Quad ministers highlighted the importance of Artificial Intelligence and initiatives like Pax Silica to the future of economic growth and expressed their intent to provide over $85 million of technical and financial assistance to support access to trusted SI across the Indo-Pacific, including through the Quad AI Accelerator,” a joint statement issued after the meeting said.
The ministers also announced the first-ever Quad Business Leaders’ Forum to foster greater ties across public and private sectors, including the promotion of commercial deals in key sectors.
The Quad export credit agencies will meet in Tokyo on November 18 to identify opportunities for practical cooperation, further demonstrating the commitment to deepening economic cooperation.
Moves are underway to convene a Quad Leaders' Summit, hosted by US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the ASEAN-East Asian Summits in mid-November.
This was the third Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting held this year. Earlier, the ministers met in New Delhi in May and in Manila in July.
Rubio meets other Quad foreign ministers
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met External Affairs Minister(EAM) S Jaishankar, Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Atlanta.
“I was pleased to meet with my Quad counterparts in Atlanta and discuss the real progress we have made in turning our shared priorities into real benefits for the Indo-Pacific,” Rubio said in a post on X.
I was pleased to meet with my Quad counterparts in Atlanta and discuss the real progress we have made in turning our shared priorities into real benefits for the Indo-Pacific. As our nations continue building reliable and open supply chains, supporting next-generation technologies, increasing maritime cooperation, and securing critical minerals, the United States, Australia, India, and Japan are delivering results for our people and the nations in the region.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) October 31, 2026
“As our nations continue building reliable and open supply chains, supporting next-generation technologies, increasing maritime cooperation, and securing critical minerals, the United States, Australia, India, and Japan are delivering results for our people and the nations in the region,” Rubio said.
Quad ministers call for navigational freedom amid West Asia conflict
Quad Foreign Ministers also called for preserving navigational rights and freedoms in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait against the backdrop of tensions in West Asia.
“Recognising the importance of critical sea lanes, the uninterrupted flow of commerce, energy security, and the unhindered passage and safety of maritime crews and vessels without the imposition of tolls, they reiterated the absolute necessity to protect and preserve navigational rights and freedoms in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in accordance with international law as reflected in UNCLOS,” the statement read.
In Quad’s efforts for the safety of seafarers, it noted that the second Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer mission successfully sailed from Chennai, India, to Perth, Australia from September 25 to October 7.
“The second Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer mission successfully sailed from Chennai, India, to Perth, Australia from September 25 to October 7 with representatives from all four Quad countries aboard an Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel, a significant step toward strengthening Quad maritime interoperability to address unlawful maritime activities,” the Quad ministers stated.
(With inputs from PTI & ANI)
