New Delhi [India], May 26 : Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday said that the QUAD grouping remains focused on delivering practical outcomes for the Indo-Pacific amid growing strategic and economic challenges.
Addressing a joint press statement, Wong said, "At every meeting that we have had, we have been focused on momentum and on making sure we deliver outcomes which are real...Our obligation and responsibility is to provide real choices, particularly as strategic circumstances in our region (Indo-Pacific) are deteriorating."
She warned that the Indo-Pacific region is under mounting economic pressure and pointed to concerns surrounding maritime security and global energy flows.
"The region is facing acute economic stress... we know the consequences for our region of the Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and what that means for our energy security," Wong stated.
She also acknowledged the diplomatic efforts of Marco Rubio regarding the situation. "We recognise the efforts of Secretary Rubio towards a diplomatic resolution to ensure freedom of navigation is restored. We recognise the importance of maintaining the principle of freedom of navigation and our opposition to any tolling proposition," she said.
Wong announced that the Quad countries would launch several new initiatives, including cooperation on energy security and infrastructure development in the Pacific. "The Quad is today taking forward a number of new initiatives, an energy security initiative," she said.
Highlighting the "strongest ever commitment" by the QUAD to Pacific Island nations, Wong announced a new ports partnership focused on Fiji.
"We are also today announcing the strongest ever commitment from the Quad to the Pacific through the Quad Ports of the Future Partnership, where we are launching a pilot for port infrastructure in Fiji," Wong said.
She further outlined expanded maritime coordination efforts across the Indo-Pacific, particularly in the Indian Ocean.
"In addition, we are focusing on what more we can do to ensure a transparent, more secure maritime domain in the Indo-Pacific... And you are seeing that we will be coordinating our maritime surveillance efforts initially in the Indian Ocean and at exercise Malabar through the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration Initiative," she stated.
Wong added that the Quad would expand maritime domain awareness cooperation to help regional partners respond to illegal activities and humanitarian crises.
"We are also expanding the domain awareness initiative to the Indian Ocean. This will enable partners to access near-real-time unclassified satellite tracking data to combat illegal fishing trafficking and also enable us to better support humanitarian disaster response," she said.
The Australian Foreign Minister also highlighted growing cooperation against cybercrime and scam operations in Southeast Asia.
"We are also working together to strengthen cooperation against scam centres, particularly in South East Asia, building law enforcement capacity and deepening cyber cooperation... We know we work better in partnership across our region", Wong added.
Earlier, addressing the Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting in New Delhi, Wong praised India's role in the region and highlighted the strategic significance of the gathering.
"We meet in the world's largest democracy and a power that is so important in the shaping of the Indo-Pacific and the world," Wong said during her opening remarks in Delhi.
The Australian Foreign Minister stressed that while the four Quad nations have different histories and perspectives, they remain closely aligned in their broader regional goals. "We are four sovereign nations, have our own histories and interests, but there is great alignment between our interests," Wong said.
"We all share a vision for the Indo-Pacific, a region that is free and open," she added.
Highlighting the grouping's future direction, Wong said all four nations remain committed to strengthening the Quad and ensuring it delivers tangible results for the region. "We all want the Quad to be as strong and as effective as we can make it be, focused on delivering, and we are determined to continue its momentum," she said.
"This is the future we want for our region, a peaceful, stable, prosperous region, and today we continue the work to build that," Wong said.
Ahead of her visit, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong hailed Quad as a vital partnership for shaping a peaceful, stable and prosperous future for the Indo-Pacific region in a statement shared ahead of the visit.
She added, "While in India, I will hold the 17th Australia-India Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue with my counterpart, Minister for External Affairs Dr S. Jaishankar. Australia and India's partnership has never been more consequential."