As the 11th Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting concludes in Delhi, it is an important moment to evaluate its performance over the past decade. For much of the past decade, there have been accusations that the block’s set objectives exceed its capacity to deliver. Indeed, Quad frequently announced ambitious initiatives ranging from climate change and global health to infrastructure development and supply-chain cooperation, yet failed to deliver concrete outcomes. If studied closely, the 2026 FM Meeting suggests some course correction.
If previous Quad meetings were about expansion, the Quad 2026 under India’s presidency is likely to be a consolidation. It appears that QUAD has successfully managed to identify three core areas of interests- economic security, maritime security, and critical and emerging technologies. This shift from broad aspirations to focused strategic cooperation could be termed the lowest common denominator, or even the lowest-hanging fruit. Call it whatsoever, it still reflects a recognition that the Quad’s credibility depends less on big announcements and more on tangible outcomes.
At the heart of this recalibration lies a growing concern among all four members regarding increasing geopolitical competition, disruptions to global supply chains, and excessive dependence on a limited number of suppliers. Thus, Quad’s commitment to mobilising approximately $20 billion in public and private-sector support for critical mineral projects reflects its aim to ensure economic resilience and technological security through cooperation across the entire value chain, including mining, processing, recycling, and investment.
Closely linked to the critical mineral agenda is the Quad’s growing focus on technology governance. The meeting reaffirmed the grouping’s commitment to developing secure, trusted, and resilient technological ecosystems across the Indo-Pacific. All four countries agreed to enhance cooperation in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, cybersecurity, biotechnology, digital infrastructure, and technical standards.
This emphasis on innovation reflects a broader understanding that geopolitical competition increasingly revolves around control over technology, data, and digital infrastructure. Thus, QUAD must go beyond technological advancement and shape the rules, standards, and governance frameworks. Initiatives such as the Open RAN are clear examples of its efforts to take control of the future development of the technology and its governance.
Importantly, Quad’s technology agenda extends beyond hardware and infrastructure. Quad is also initiating programs, such as the AI-ENGAGE initiative, that could eventually transform how technology is used. Similarly, the Quad STEM Fellowship aim to develop a new generation of scientists, engineers, and technology leaders. These efforts recognise that technological competitiveness ultimately depends on human capital, innovation ecosystems, and collaborative research networks.
While economic and technological security will continue to dominate the Quad agenda, maritime security will also remain Quad’s most crucial strategic function. The announcement of the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration (IPMSC) represents a significant step toward deeper operational coordination among the four countries.
The initiative seeks to integrate maritime surveillance capabilities through interoperable technologies, including P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, satellite systems, and advanced vessel-tracking technologies. The objective is to improve maritime domain awareness and create a shared operational picture of activities across the Indo-Pacific.
The initiative will initially focus on the Indian Ocean, reflecting India’s strategic priorities in Quad’s agenda. The Indian Ocean is a critical theatre for global trade, energy flows, and strategic competition, and without enhancing real-time information-sharing and surveillance capabilities, maritime cooperation would remain episodic. The initiative also builds upon the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA), launched in 2022. Although China is not explicitly mentioned, the initiative clearly responds to growing concerns regarding China’s aggressive maritime posture across the Indo-Pacific.
Beyond its operational significance, the maritime agenda underscores the Quad’s broader commitment to regional stability. The grouping increasingly recognises that successful maritime governance requires engagement with smaller littoral states and regional partners. Efforts to promote transparency, information sharing, and capacity building are therefore likely to remain central to the Quad’s regional outreach strategy.
Nevertheless, questions remain about the Quad’s long-term strategic direction. There are serious questions about political will, especially given the delays in convening a Leaders’ Summit. President Donald Trump’s high-profile visit to China, immediately before the FM meeting, also raises questions about what the US wants and whether the Quad retains its relevance in its Indo-Pacific strategy.
Further, the broader strategic environment has also changed. And in response to increasingly inward policies propagated by the Trump administration and the crisis in Hormuz, India, Japan, and Australia hedged by pursuing diversified partnerships. Simultaneously, the United States has adopted a more transactional approach to international partnerships. As a result, the Quad today is no longer the grand strategic coalition aimed at reshaping the regional order, but rather another pragmatic bloc advancing common national interests.
As of now, it looks likely that the group would survive, although in a new form. Going forward, if and when the leadership Summit takes place, we shall be prepared to hear fewer grand declarations and expansive visions of regional order and more initiatives that strengthen supply chains, secure critical resources, and promote maritime stability. In some ways, it is a transition for the organisation toward a more focused form of cooperation. It would be preposterous to compare the Quad with what the Chinese President described at the 2021 Belt and Road Forum as China’s future approach: “small and beautiful.”