Washington: The foreign ministers of the Quad grouping, comprising India, the United States, Australia, and Japan unequivocally condemned the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
In a strong joint statement, the leaders called for the swift prosecution of the perpetrators, organizers, and financiers of the attack, urging all United Nations member states to cooperate under international legal frameworks.
Meeting in the US capital, the Quad foreign ministers, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya issued a unified call to action against cross-border terrorism.
While the statement refrained from naming Pakistan, it came in the backdrop of a four-day military conflict between Indian and Pakistani forces in May, following the attack.
“We express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and extend our heartfelt wishes for a swift and full recovery to all those injured,” the joint statement read.
Just finished a very productive meeting of Quad Foreign Ministers in Washington DC.
Discussed how to make Quad more focused and impactful on contemporary opportunities and challenges.
Today’s gathering will strengthen strategic stability in the Indo – Pacific and keep it free… pic.twitter.com/M9Vg5NaxMR
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 1, 2025
“We call for the perpetrators, organizers, and financiers of this reprehensible act to be brought to justice without delay and urge all UN Member States to cooperate with relevant authorities by international law and UN Security Council Resolutions.”
In addition to addressing regional security challenges, the Quad also announced the launch of a ‘Quad Ports of the Future’ partnership, set to begin in Mumbai later this year, aimed at enhancing maritime cooperation and infrastructure development in the Indo-Pacific.
The ministers also reiterated their strong opposition to unilateral actions in the East China Sea and South China Sea, without directly naming China, and reaffirmed their shared commitment to upholding the rules-based international order.
“We remain seriously concerned about ongoing tensions and firmly oppose any attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion,” the statement added.
The meeting further reinforced the Quad’s role as a strategic forum for promoting peace, security, and economic collaboration across the Indo-Pacific.
