Listen

Quad

Australia's Quad partnership with India, Japan and the United States is a key pillar of our Indo-Pacific agenda. The Quad is a diplomatic network of four countries committed to supporting an open, inclusive and resilient region. It complements our other bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation, including with ASEAN.

The Quad has a positive, practical agenda to respond to the region’s most pressing challenges, including COVID-19 vaccines, critical and emerging technology, cyber security, climate change, infrastructure, maritime security, countering disinformation, counter-terrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The Quad Vaccines Partnership is expanding access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines in the Indo-Pacific by delivering vaccines, supporting vaccine rollouts across the region, and boosting vaccine manufacturing in India. Australia’s $100 million contribution will focus on ‘last-mile’ delivery support to Southeast Asia.

Quad partners are steadfast supporters of ASEAN centrality, the ASEAN-led architecture and ASEAN’s Outlook on Indo-Pacific.

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 through four primary channels – Leaders, Foreign Ministers, Senior Officials, and Experts.

Leaders’ Summits

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 Statement.

On 24 September 2021, US President Biden hosted the first in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit with Prime Minister Morrison, Indian Prime Minister Modi and then Japanese Prime Minister Suga in Washington. Leaders issued a Joint Statement and Summit Fact Sheet. At the Summit, leaders announced further initiatives on COVID-19 vaccines, critical and emerging technology, and combatting climate change, and launched Quad cooperation on clean energy supply chains, infrastructure, cyber, the sustainable and stable use of outer space, and cultivating next-generation STEM talent.

The inaugural virtual Leaders’ Summit was held on 12 March 2021 (13 March AEDT) - see Joint Statement and Summit Fact Sheet [PDF].

Leaders have agreed to meet annually.

Foreign Ministers' Meetings

Quad Leaders’ meetings build on extensive engagement by Quad Foreign Ministers. On 11 February 2022, former Foreign Minister Payne hosted the fourth Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Melbourne with Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi and US Secretary of State Blinken. Foreign Ministers issued a Joint Statement.

Previous Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meetings were held on 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.

Regular Senior Officials' Meetings

Nine Quad Senior Officials' Meetings have been held since November 2017. At these meetings, officials exchange strategic assessments and progress practical cooperation led by leaders and Foreign Ministers.

Experts’ engagement

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

Key publications

February 2022 Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Quad Foreign Ministers’ Joint Statement, 11 February 2022

Development

Travel advice

International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate

Passports

24-hour consular emergency helpline

Visas

Regional architecture