Only Quad can ensure a free Indo-Pacific: S Jaishankar

India had for the first time last year, in a joint statement with the Philippines, unambiguously asked China to adhere to the legally-binding tribunal award Beijing has always called null and void. Before that, India had restricted itself to only calling for respecting the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), under which the tribunal was instituted.
As they reassembled in Tokyo after the recent China-Philippines tensions, the ministers said they're determined to contribute to maintaining and developing the free and open maritime order consistent with UNCLOS in the Indian and the Pacific Oceans, and for this purpose, to enhance collaboration with regional partners.

They also announced initiatives to enhance regional maritime domain awareness in the Pacific through satellite data, training and capacity building. "In line with such efforts, we intend to geographically expand the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) to the Indian Ocean region," said the joint statement.
The ministers also committed to soon having the 2024 Quad summit which PM Modi is now looking to host on the margins of the UNGA in New York in Sept, pending the availability of Japanese PM Fumio Kishida. Japan is yet to confirm because the date for LDP election might clash with the General Assembly session, making it difficult for him to travel abroad.
In his opening remarks, while talking about the need for Quad to uphold a rules-based order, Jaishankar said it's only Quad collaboration that can ensure that the Indo-Pacific remains free, open, stable, secure and prosperous.

"It is therefore essential that our political understanding strengthens, our economic partnerships grow, our technology collaborations expand and our people-to-people comfort intensifies. Our meeting should send a clear message, that the Quad is here to stay, here to do and here to go," he said.
In their pushback against China, the Quad ministers backed sovereignty and territorial integrity, while also expressing commitment to address debt crises through sustainable, transparent and fair lending and financing practices. They expressed concern about the situation in the East and

South China Sea,