Overview
On 26 May 2026, Prime Minister Modi held separate meetings with the Foreign Ministers of Australia and Japan in New Delhi. The talks focused on strengthening the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership. He also attended the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting, where major initiatives on maritime security, critical minerals, and energy were launched.
A Day of High-Level Diplomacy in New Delhi
On 26 May 2026, New Delhi became the centre of India’s foreign policy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held separate meetings with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. Both meetings reaffirmed India’s commitment to deepening strategic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region. Later that day, the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting took place, bringing together the top diplomats of India, Australia, Japan, and the United States. The ministers announced several new initiatives, including a $20 billion push for critical minerals, a new maritime surveillance collaboration, and a port infrastructure project in Fiji.
India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
Penny Wong called on Prime Minister Modi and held discussions on the growing India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). This partnership was established in 2020 and covers defence, trade, technology, education, and critical supply chains. After the meeting, PM Modi wrote on social media, "We discussed the growing India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in areas such as defence, trade, technology and ensuring supply chain resilience". Wong also announced that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has invited PM Modi to visit Australia in the "very near future". She hailed India as the "world's fastest-growing major economy" and an "essential economic partner for Australia" as both countries seek to diversify supply chains.
India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership
Later, PM Modi received Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. The two sides reaffirmed the vital role of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership in advancing peace, stability, and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific. This partnership was launched in 2014 and includes cooperation in infrastructure, defence, digital technology, and economic security. According to Japan’s Foreign Ministry, the two sides agreed to cooperate under the "Japan-India Joint Vision for the Next 10 Years" and the "Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)". They also confirmed cooperation in ensuring free and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and a stable supply of energy and essential goods in Southeast and South Asia.
Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting: Key Outcomes
The 11th Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held in New Delhi on 26 May 2026, attended by India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japan's Toshimitsu Motegi, and Australia's Penny Wong. The grouping announced several major initiatives.
Maritime Security: New Surveillance Initiative
The Quad partners launched the first ever Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration (IPMSC) initiative to leverage Quad country maritime surveillance, enhancing information sharing with an initial focus on the Indian Ocean Region. They also expanded their work on the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA), developing a comprehensive Common Operating Picture (COP) to harness real-time information in Indo-Pacific maritime zones. India will host the next edition of the Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission to strengthen interoperability and address unlawful maritime activities. Additionally, a Quad Counterterrorism Tabletop Exercise focused on state-sponsored terrorism threats and uncrewed aerial vehicles will be held in Australia in June 2026.
Critical Minerals: $20 Billion Framework
The Quad partners announced the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative Framework, pledging to mobilise up to $20 billion in