External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Tuesday reiterated India’s right to defend itself against terrorism and urged the Quad to understand this position, as the foreign ministers of the four-nation group gathered for their ministerial meeting.
“India has every right to defend its people against terrorism, and we will exercise that right,” he said, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya standing beside him.
“We expect our Quad partners to understand and appreciate that,” he emphasised.
This marks the first Quad ministerial where the four foreign ministers are meeting together following the heinous Pahalgam massacre on April 22, carried out by Pakistan-backed terrorists, and India’s subsequent decisive response — ‘Operation Sindoor’.
Referring to the Pahalgam attack, EAM Jaishankar said, “A word about terrorism in light of our recent experience: The world must display zero tolerance. Victims and perpetrators must never be equated.”
Counter-terrorism remains a core focus of the Quad agenda.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to host the Quad leaders’ summit later this year, which will include U.S. President Donald Trump, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
“We have some proposals on how to make that summit productive,” Jaishankar said. “I’m sure our partners do as well. We will discuss them, and I’m confident we can agree on a constructive way forward.”
“A lot is happening in the world, and I’m sure that our exchange of views will be very valuable for all of us,” he added.
He underlined that the Quad is committed to a rules-based international order, stating, “It is essential that nations of the Indo-Pacific have the freedom of choice — a prerequisite for making the right decisions.”
The task before the Quad, he said, is “deepening our convergence and expanding our common ground.”
“In recent months, we have made significant progress in various Quad initiatives,” he said.
“These include areas like the maritime domain, technology, education, and political coordination.”
Regarding their current meeting, he added, “We will also be discussing how the functioning of the Quad has been enhanced by streamlining working groups into a more cohesive, nimble, and focused structure.”
“I value our consultations on various dimensions of the Indo-Pacific,” he concluded.
— IANS
