"Indo-Pacific to become a big energy lifeline": Jaishankar ahead of Quad foreign ministers' meeting

Responding to media queries at a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding the QUAD grouping, Jaishankar recalled how the forum was commenced in its current form during President Donald Trump's first administration and that the discussions with Secretary Rubio have featured Quad right from the beginning.

"Looking ahead, the Indo-Pacific is going to become more and more important with the passage of time. It will even become a big energy lifeline," he said.

The External Affairs Minister stated that there is potential for growth between India and the US across areas such as energy and trade adding, "The work on Quad goes on and two days from now you will see us on the podium talking about the Quad. I can assure you we will have a good strong story to tell."

Responding to a question in the joint press briefing with Rubio, Jaishankar said, "I'm glad you used the word maritime democracies because both terms I think are very relevant."

"We are doing a lot with each other because we are maritime powers and I see that growing. And we are doing a lot with each other because we are democratic powers who have a certain way of doing things, a certain belief system, and certain practices," he said.

Jaishankar emphasized that the Quad's mission is inextricably linked to the preservation of a rules-based order, stating that as "market economies and open societies," the member nations demand that "business be conducted and life to run on the basis of international law."

"We are market economies, we are open societies. We want business to be conducted and life to run on the basis of international law and market practices. So for us, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, I see as gaining in importance in salience in the coming days, it's very important that the Quad cooperation as maritime democracies continue and that is exactly what you will see two days from now," Jaishankar said.

In a major diplomatic deployment matching this regional focus, India is gearing up to host the foreign ministers of the Quad nations in the national capital to deliberate on the evolving security matrix of the Indo-Pacific and the escalating friction points across West Asia. The high-level congregation of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue--bringing together India, the United States, Australia, and Japan--is locked in for May 26 under the chairmanship of External Affairs Minister Jaishankar. (ANI)