May 26, 2026
Quad nations agree on mineral sharing, Indo-Pacific surveillance and more
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a slew of initiatives among the Quad nations to strengthen the group’s dominance over the Indo-Pacific, including shared surveillance of the waters.
“I am very happy today…that we have real, concrete achievables that we can announce to our countries and the rest of the world,” Rubio said in New Delhi, calling the alliance a “partnership of action.”
The statement came after foreign ministers of the US, India, Japan and Australia gathered in New Delhi for a brief meeting on Tuesday morning.
The surveillance initiative is meant to integrate the four nations’ surveillance capabilities and share near-real-time data on ship movements, including commercial ships.
Rubio also announced an Indo-Pacific energy security initiative aimed at strengthening regional fuel supply chains. The agreement takes on special importance amid the disruptions in energy supply due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
The US will host a Quad energy security forum later this year, Rubio said.
The group will also work with Fiji to upgrade port infrastructure in the Pacific islands, marking the Quad’s first joint infrastructure project.
The four nations also agreed on a “Critical Mineral Framework,” Rubio said at the joint briefing without elaborating further. “The framework will strengthen critical mineral supply chains in mining, processing, and recycling. Coordination across the Quad helps reduce vulnerabilities and supports long-term economic security.” US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on X.
Ahead of the meeting, Rubio had said that Washington wants the Quad grouping to move beyond dialogue to one of action. The alliance is seen as a counter to China’s growing influence and has grown in importance amid shifting geopolitical alliances and recent conflict.
“We are deeply committed to this partnership. It is a linchpin in a cornerstone of our global strategy as a nation,” he said.
The four nations represent about 30% of the world’s GDP and nearly 2 billion people.
Speaking of the Strait of Hormuz, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the Indo-Pacific was facing “acute economic stress” and warned that any closure of the strait would have serious consequences for regional energy security.
“We recognize the importance of maintaining the principle of freedom of navigation and our opposition to any tolling proposition,” Wong said, referring to Iran’s plan to charge vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
