US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday praised India and other members of the Quad, emphasizing their contributions to the global GDP.
India, Japan, Australia and the United States are members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, an Indo-Pacific alliance. Follow live updates about the war between Iran and the United States here.
During his visit to India, Rubio addressed the main meeting of Quad foreign ministers along with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.
Rubio said that the member countries of the group represent about a third of the global gross domestic product. “The stage today represents countries that together represent about a third of the world’s GDP, roughly more than two billion people,” Rubio said.
He also stressed that member states not only have economic contributions to the world, but also share “strong values and strong, vibrant democracies,” and are “committed to many of the same concepts regarding economic development and have many aligned interests in these areas as well.”
60% of global shipping is through the Indo-Pacific
While shipping to many countries continues to be affected by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Marco Rubio also highlighted the importance of maritime security.
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“The reason maritime security is so important, besides the fact that current events remind us of what can happen when maritime security is hindered, is the fact that 60% of global maritime trade passes through the Indo-Pacific region,” Rubio said, noting that maritime security is not only important to members of the Quad, but to many other countries.
During the meeting, a surveillance initiative was announced to integrate the surveillance capabilities of India, the United States, Japan and Australia and share information in real time.
Member states have also taken initiatives on port and energy infrastructure at a time when rising oil prices have alarmed the world. “We are announcing plans to work with Fiji to develop port infrastructure in that country. This will be the first time the Quad partners will work together on a port infrastructure project,” Rubio said.
Rubio’s statements regarding Iran during his visit to India
Marco Rubio made some important remarks about the future of the potential Iran-US deal during his visit to India. Rubio said on Tuesday that he condemned the imposition of fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz and said the checkpoint would reopen “one way or another.”
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“The strait should be open without fees. What is happening there is illegal, unlawful, unsustainable and unacceptable. There is no country in the world that accepts the toll system except Iran,” he said.
He added that a solution would likely be reached within the next few days. He also stressed that “either there will be a good agreement, or there will be no agreement.”
(with ANI inputs)
