New Delhi [India], May 26 (ANI): The Quad nations will establish a new framework to secure critical mineral supply chains, marking a significant expansion of economic and security cooperation across the Indo-Pacific region. The framework aims to combine economic policies and coordinate investments to safeguard key sectors against supply disruptions.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the initiative during a joint press statement at the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting in Delhi.

'We'll announce the Quad Critical Minerals Framework, which will guide each of us to leverage economic policy tools and coordinate investment to strengthen critical mineral supply chains, including in mining and processing and in critical minerals recycling,' Rubio said.

The strategic importance of the region prompted the four member nations to also address maritime security through two major initiatives. The grouping rolled out the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Corporation Initiative alongside an expanded tracking system.

'The first is the launch of the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Corporation Initiative, which is going to leverage each of our country's maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indo-Pacific to enhance information sharing,' Rubio said. 'Related to that is also the expansion of the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative, which provides and can provide near-reported real-time commercial maritime domain awareness data to countries throughout the Indo-Pacific.'

The US Secretary of State also acknowledged India's upcoming role in joint security operations, confirming that New Delhi will host the next collaborative coast guard deployment.

'I also want to thank India for committing to hosting the next iteration of the Quad at Sea mission, which brings together our respective coast guards together in one place on one ship,' Rubio said.

Rubio emphasized that maintaining open sea lanes directly impacts the global economy, as a vast majority of international commerce relies on these specific waters.

'The reason why maritime security is so important beyond the fact that current events remind us of what can happen when maritime security is impeded is the fact that 60 per cent of global maritime trade passes through the Indo-Pacific, and it's a vital national interest not just to the four countries represented here today, but to dozens and dozens of countries, countless countries around the world,' Rubio said.

The partnership expanded its infrastructure focus to the Pacific Islands, targeting limited port capacity through a new project with Fiji.

'We're announcing plans to work with Fiji to advance that country's port infrastructure,' Rubio said. He highlighted that it will be the first time that the Quad partners work together on a port infrastructure project. 'We believe it will be very successful and that it will serve as a model for other projects in the future,' he added.

To address energy resilience, Rubio introduced a dedicated security initiative. The project will focus on management, technological cooperation, and emergency response planning, with a follow-up forum scheduled in the United States later this year.

'Finally, on energy and fuel security, we'll be announcing the Quad Initiative on Indo-Pacific Energy Security that will help strengthen regional energy resilience,' Rubio said. 'And through this initiative, the partners will work to identify areas of cooperation in technology and management and policy and international market analysis and emergency response exercises.'

Rubio concluded by stating that the United States views the alliance as a central element of its broader international approach.

'So we are beginning to show real achievements and real accomplishments committed to this partnership,' Rubio said. 'It is a linchpin and a cornerstone of our global strategy as a nation in the United States.'

The joint statement was attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, along with India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. (ANI)