US Secretary of State Marco Rubio heaped praise on India and other members of the Quad grouping, highlighting their contributions to the global GDP. The Quad members, including India, Japan, Australia, and the US, represent about a third of the world's GDP and over 2 billion people.
Rubio emphasized the shared values, strong vibrant democracies, and aligned interests of the member nations, which also include a commitment to economic development. He also stressed the importance of maritime security, noting that 60% of global maritime trade passes through the Indo-Pacific.
The Quad foreign ministers' meeting, attended by Rubio, India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, announced several initiatives, including a surveillance program to integrate the member nations' surveillance capabilities and real-time information sharing.
Rubio also made remarks on the future of a potential Iran-US agreement, condemning the charging of tolls for passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz and stating that the chokepoint will reopen "one way or another."
