Quad Sherpas meet in New Delhi to advance Indo-Pacific security, tech agenda
Synopsis
India's Foreign Secretary hosted Quad Sherpas from the US, Japan, and Australia in New Delhi, reviewing maritime security, emerging tech, and economic resilience — and laying groundwork for the next foreign ministers' meeting. The session signals the Quad's continued pivot from a security-only grouping to a full-spectrum Indo-Pacific architecture.
Key Takeaways
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri hosted the Quad Sherpas' meeting in New Delhi on 4 September .
The US was represented by Sergio Gor , Special Envoy to South and Central Asia; Australia by Elly Lawson ; Japan by Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Hiroyuki Namazu .
Discussions covered maritime security , critical and emerging technologies , economic security , and humanitarian assistance .
The meeting followed the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting on 26 May in New Delhi and was convened to advance its outcomes.
Officials reaffirmed commitment to 'concrete, action-oriented initiatives' for a free and open Indo-Pacific .
Senior officials from India, the United States, Japan, and Australia convened in New Delhi on 4 September to review Quad cooperation on maritime security, critical technologies, and economic resilience, as the four-nation grouping prepares for its next foreign ministers' meeting. The meeting, hosted by India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, signals a sustained push to translate the Quad's broad agenda into concrete, action-oriented outcomes.
Who Was at the Table
The United States was represented by Sergio Gor, Special Envoy to South and Central Asia and US Ambassador to India. Australia sent Elly Lawson, a deputy secretary in its foreign ministry, while Japan was represented by Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Hiroyuki Namazu. The high-level representation from all four nations underscored the grouping's continued diplomatic momentum.
Key Areas of Discussion
According to the US State Department, the Sherpas reviewed progress across ongoing Quad initiatives and discussed ways to deepen practical cooperation. The agenda spanned maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technologies, and humanitarian assistance and emergency response. Officials also exchanged views on broader developments across the Indo-Pacific and the wider global situation.
Context and Background
The Sherpas' meeting followed the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in New Delhi on 26 May and was convened specifically to carry forward its outcomes. The State Department noted that officials reaffirmed 'the importance of focussing on concrete, action-oriented initiatives' and looked forward to continued consultations ahead of the next ministerial meeting. Notably, this is part of a broader pattern: the Quad's agenda has expanded well beyond traditional security concerns in recent years to encompass maritime domain awareness, resilient supply chains, infrastructure, and disaster response — reflecting a deliberate effort to build a comprehensive regional architecture rather than a purely defence-oriented bloc.
What the Quad Is Building Toward
The grouping's widening scope — from naval coordination to semiconductor supply chains and disaster relief — reflects a shared calculation among its members that economic and technological interdependence are now as strategically significant as military posture in the Indo-Pacific. The next Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting is expected to build on the groundwork laid at this Sherpas' session, with officials signalling that consultations will continue in the intervening period.
Point of View
But its expanding agenda is not. The grouping has quietly shifted from a maritime security dialogue into something closer to a regional governance framework — covering supply chains, disaster response, and emerging technologies. What the communiqués rarely acknowledge is the tension this creates: each member has distinct economic ties with China, and the Quad's technology cooperation agenda increasingly bumps against those relationships. The real test of 'concrete, action-oriented initiatives' is whether they survive domestic political cycles in all four capitals — a question that no State Department readout will answer.
NationPress
4 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Quad Sherpas' meeting?
The Quad Sherpas' meeting is a senior officials' gathering among India, the United States, Japan, and Australia, convened to review ongoing cooperation and prepare the agenda for the next Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting. It functions as the working-level engine of the Quad's diplomatic process.
What did the Quad Sherpas discuss on 4 September?
The officials reviewed cooperation across maritime and transnational security, critical and emerging technologies, economic security, and humanitarian assistance and emergency response. They also exchanged views on broader Indo-Pacific and global developments.
Who represented each country at the New Delhi meeting?
India was represented by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri as host. The US sent Sergio Gor, Special Envoy to South and Central Asia. Australia was represented by Deputy Secretary Elly Lawson, and Japan by Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Hiroyuki Namazu.
Why is the Quad expanding beyond security issues?
The Quad has broadened its agenda to reflect the view among its members that economic and technological interdependence — including supply chains, semiconductors, and disaster resilience — are now as strategically significant as traditional military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
What comes next after the Sherpas' meeting?
Officials indicated they would continue consultations in the lead-up to the next Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which the September session was specifically designed to prepare for.
