US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday confirmed that leaders of the Quad — the United States, India, Japan, and Australia — are expected to convene before the end of 2025, reaffirming Washington's deepening commitment to the Indo-Pacific. The disclosure came during his testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the State Department's Fiscal Year 2027 budget request.

What Rubio told lawmakers

Describing the Quad as a key pillar of the administration's regional strategy, Rubio pointed to a flurry of recent diplomatic engagement among the four nations. ‘The Quad, an important alliance in the Indo-Pacific between India, Japan, Australia, we've had multiple meetings of that group, including a meeting just last week in India and a follow-up that's going to occur later this year, including a leaders meeting before the end of the year,' Rubio told the committee.

Why it matters for New Delhi

The remarks are likely to be closely tracked in New Delhi, where the Quad has evolved into a central framework for cooperation on security, emerging technology, supply chains, and regional stability. India is widely expected to host the leaders' summit, having assumed the rotating chair, although neither capital has formally announced the date or venue.

The China factor

Rubio repeatedly tied the administration's Indo-Pacific posture to a broader push to cut dependence on China in critical sectors. He flagged a recent rare-earth ministerial convened by Washington that drew more than 30 countries. ‘We held a rare earths ministerial that was attended by over 30-some-odd countries from around the world, all who were signing up for an American-led effort to ensure that critical supplies of rare earth minerals around the world are available for our emerging economies, and we don't remain overly dependent on China,' he said.

Pax Silica and AI supply chains

The Secretary also spotlighted a new 14-nation grouping called ‘Pax Silica', designed to safeguard supply chains critical to artificial intelligence. ‘These are 14 countries that are cooperating with one another to protect the supply chains critical to AI and AI development in the future,' Rubio said. Separately, he claimed Pacific Island nations facing growing Chinese pressure had received ‘more attention from this administration than they received in the last 10 years combined'.

What's next

With the Quad foreign ministers having met in India last week, attention now shifts to the leaders' summit calendar and the substantive deliverables — particularly on critical minerals, semiconductors, and maritime security — that India is expected to push as host.