Quad foreign ministers set to convene in Philippines during ASEAN meeting

U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor announced that the foreign ministers of the Quad – the United States, Japan, Australia and India – will meet in Manila on the sidelines of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting scheduled for 20‑22 July. The gathering will build on the momentum from the recent Quad foreign ministers’ summit in New Delhi and focus on advancing a free, open and resilient Indo‑Pacific, including cooperation on maritime security, ship‑building projects in the Pacific (with Fiji as a beneficiary) and the development of advanced technologies.

The Philippines, chairing ASEAN in 2026, will host the talks and has already signed a defence pact with the United States, Australia and Japan, termed the “Security Quad.” Philippine defence chief Romeo S. Brawner Jr. signalled openness to incorporating India to counter China’s regional ambitions. The Manila meeting is expected to be followed by a ministerial dialogue in Australia and set the stage for a future leaders’ summit involving the heads of the four democracies, with President Donald Trump’s planned visit to India cited as a milestone.