India and its Quad partners on Saturday, 31 October 2026 outlined plans for more than $85 million in assistance to expand access to trusted Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the Indo-Pacific, alongside a US commitment of $10 million for critical minerals recycling facilities in India and Southeast Asia. The announcements followed a ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Atlanta, where the four countries also launched plans for a business leaders' forum, semiconductor supply chain mapping, and new maritime cooperation activities.

Key Announcements from Atlanta

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong met for approximately 40 minutes — the third Quad ministerial meeting this year, following sessions in May and July. Their joint statement covered economic security, technology, maritime cooperation and disaster response.

The ministers expressed their intention to provide more than $85 million in technical and financial assistance to support access to trusted technology, including through the Quad SI Accelerator. The release used the term 'Super Intelligence', with a footnote clarifying that the term refers to artificial intelligence in Australia, India and Japan, and highlighted initiatives such as Pax Silica as central to future economic growth. The statement did not specify individual country contributions or how the assistance would be distributed.

Critical Minerals and Semiconductor Security

The US committed $10 million to promote infrastructure and facilities in India and ASEAN countries that recover critical minerals from electronic waste and scrap, reducing dependence on any single supplier. The partners welcomed private investment in waste collection networks, processing plants and refineries, and pledged to explore streamlining cross-border export and import procedures for recyclable materials.

The four countries will also launch an effort to identify semiconductor and AI supply chain chokepoints before disruptions occur, stressing the need for secure and trusted supplies of advanced semiconductors and AI hardware. Priority countries for cooperation on 5G, 6G, Open Radio Access Networks and AI-enabled networks will be identified, with a pipeline of trusted 5G projects under development. This critical minerals framework and maritime surveillance initiative were originally announced in May 2026.

Maritime Cooperation and Regional Security

The second Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer mission sailed from Chennai to Perth between 25 September and 7 October, with representatives of all four nations aboard an Indian Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel. The partners plan their first exercise under the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration initiative at Sea Dragon 2027, and a first Quad Maritime Domain Awareness Track 1.5 Symposium is planned for early 2027 under the MAITRI (Maritime Training Initiative).

The ministers stressed the need to protect navigational rights and freedoms in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, consistent with international law as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. They underlined the importance of uninterrupted commerce, energy security and safe passage for vessels.

Separately, Japan's Foreign Minister Motegi flagged discussions on the East China Sea, South China Sea and the Middle East, opposing unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. He also emphasised North Korea's complete denuclearisation and the need to address malicious cyber activities.

Economic Coercion, Cyber Scams and Business Forum

The ministers expressed 'grave concerns regarding economic coercion, including through arbitrary export restrictions', and criticised non-market policies that create overcapacity and disrupt supply chains in critical industries. The joint statement did not name a specific country in that passage.

The four partners condemned transnational criminal groups that traffic people and force them to conduct online scams, which reportedly steal tens of billions of dollars annually from citizens of the four countries. They committed to dismantling these operations and holding criminal groups and their leaders accountable. Senior Quad cyber officials met this month and pledged further support for a resilient cybersecurity environment.

The first Quad Business Leaders' Forum will bring together industry leaders, government representatives and policy experts to strengthen commercial ties. Quad export credit agencies will meet in Tokyo on 18 November to identify practical cooperation opportunities, building on a 2024 memorandum.

Disaster Response and Pacific Infrastructure

The ministers offered condolences for deaths in Nepal's 26 August flash floods, recognising India's role as the first responder. Australia, Japan and the United States will send observers to India's annual joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise in November.

The Quad countries have collectively provided more than 2,000 infrastructure fellowships across the Pacific, Southeast Asia and South Asia. They are working with Fiji on infrastructure modernisation at ports in Suva, Lautoka and Rokobili, with the US Millennium Challenge Corporation supporting a port development framework and Australia assessing a new transshipment port facility. The ministers look forward to a leaders' summit and another ministerial meeting in the coming months.