Australia's Quad partnership with India, Japan and the United States is a key pillar in Australia’s foreign policy. The Quad is a diplomatic network of four countries committed to supporting an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient. It complements our other bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation, including with ASEAN member states and Pacific partners.

The Quad has a positive, practical agenda to respond to the region’s most pressing challenges, including health security, climate change, infrastructure, critical and emerging technology, cyber security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, space, maritime security, countering disinformation, and counter-terrorism.

Quad partners work closely to ensure our efforts complement our deep engagement in the Indo-Pacific bilaterally and through regional institutions. Quad partners are all long standing ASEAN Dialogue Partners and steadfast supporters of ASEAN centrality, the ASEAN-led architecture and ASEAN’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.  We respect the leadership of the Pacific Islands Forum and align our work with Pacific priorities including the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. We welcome the work of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) as the Indian Ocean region’s premier forum for addressing the Indian Ocean region’s challenges.

The Quad's origins date back to our collaboration in response to the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Quad meetings and processes

Quad partners engage regularly through Leaders, Foreign Ministers, Sherpas, senior officials, and experts.

Leaders’ Summits

On 20 May 2023, Prime Minister Albanese convened a Quad Leaders’ Summit with India’s Prime Minister Modi, Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida and US President Biden in Hiroshima. The four Quad Leaders issued a Joint Statement and Vision Statement.

At the 2023 Summit, Quad leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing the Quad’s positive and practical agenda in the region, building on progress made to address health security, climate change, critical and emerging technology, space, infrastructure, and cyber.

Quad leaders announced a series of initiatives that build on existing areas of Quad cooperation in response to the region’s needs, including a Quad Statement of Principles on Clean Energy Supply Chains in the Indo-Pacific and a Clean Energy Supply Chains Diversification Program; a Quad Health Security Partnership; a Quad Partnership for Cable Connectivity and Resilience; a Quad Infrastructure Fellowships Program; and the inaugural Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) deployment in the Pacific.

On 24 May 2022, Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida hosted the fourth Quad Leaders’ Summit, the second in-person, with Prime Minister Albanese, India’s Prime Minister Modi and US President Biden. Leaders were accompanied in Tokyo by Foreign Minister Wong, Japan’s Foreign Minister Hayashi, India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Blinken. Leaders issued a Joint Statement.

On 4 March 2022, Quad Leaders met virtually to reaffirm their commitment to the Indo-Pacific and to discuss the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Leaders issued a Joint Readout.

On 24 September 2021, US President Biden hosted the first in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit with former Prime Minister Morrison, India’s Prime Minister Modi and then Japan’s Prime Minister Suga in Washington. The inaugural virtual Leaders’ Summit was held on 12 March 2021 (13 March AEDT). See relevant Joint Statements and Fact Sheets under key publications below.

Leaders have agreed to meet annually. Australia looks forward to hosting Quad Leaders in 2023. The Quad leaders’ track led by Australia’s Quad Sherpa in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Foreign Ministers' Meetings

Quad Leaders’ meetings build on extensive engagement by Quad Foreign Ministers.

On 3 March 2023, Foreign Minister Wong participated in a Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New Delhi following the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. Foreign Minister Wong met with India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, Japan’s Foreign Minister Hayashi, and US Secretary of State Blinken to deepen Quad cooperation. Foreign Ministers issued a Joint Statement. Foreign Minister Wong participated in a panel event with Quad Foreign Ministers at the Raisina Dialogue on 3 March.

The previous Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held on 23 September 2022 in New York. At that meeting, Ministers also signed guidelines to operationalise the Quad Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR) partnership outlined in this factsheet and issued a statement recognising the harmful effects of Ransomware. Earlier meetings were held on 11 February 2022 (Melbourne), 18 February 2021 (virtual meeting), 6 October 2020 (Tokyo), 26 September 2019 (New York).

Quad Foreign Ministers exchange views on regional strategic challenges and lead a program of practical cooperation on core regional priorities, including maritime security, countering disinformation, counter-terrorism and humanitarian and disaster relief.

Quad senior officials meet regularly to exchange strategic assessments and progress practical cooperation led by Foreign Ministers. The Quad Foreign Ministers’ track is coordinated by Australia’s Quad Senior Official in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Experts’ engagement

Senior Quad experts engage regularly across the breadth of the Quad's practical cooperation agenda.

Key publications

May 2023 Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting – Hiroshima

• May 2023 Quad Leaders’ Summit: Joint Statement
• May 2023 Quad Leaders’ Summit: Prime Minister Media Release
• May 2023 Quad Leaders’ Summit: Fact Sheet
• Quad Statement of Principles on Clean Energy Supply Chains in the Indo-Pacific
• Quad Open Radio Access Network Security Report
• Quad Principles on Critical and Emerging Technology Standards
• Quad Joint Principles for Secure Software

Media releases and statements

• March 2023 Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting: Joint Statement
• Quad Leaders’ Summit May 2022: Joint Statement
• September 2022 Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting 
• Quad Leaders’ Summit May 2022: Opening Remarks by PM Albanese
• Quad Leaders' Summit March 2022: Joint Statement
• February 2022 Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
• Quad Leaders’ Summit September 2021: Opening Remarks by former PM Morrison
• Quad Leaders' Summit September 2021: Joint Statement
• Quad Leaders’ Summit September 2021: Summit Fact Sheet
• Quad Leaders’ Summit March 2021: Opening Remarks by former PM Morrison
• Quad Leaders’ Summit March 2021: Joint Statement: 'The Spirit of the Quad'
• Quad Leaders’ Summit March 2021: Fact Sheet on Quad Summit Outcomes
• August 2021 Quad Senior Officials' Meeting
• February 2021 Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting