SINGAPORE, October 13 (ANI) — Officials from India, Japan, Australia and the United States on Tuesday pledged to strengthen defenses against cyberattacks, reaffirming their shared commitment to regional resilience and the ability of Indo-Pacific countries to determine their own futures under the updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) framework.
The discussions took place at the Japan-Australia-India-U.S. (Quad) Cyber Senior Officials’ Meeting, hosted in Singapore, according to an official statement from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting was attended by Takaba Yo, Japan’s ambassador in charge of cyber policy; Tori Lamb, assistant secretary for cyber affairs and critical technology at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; the joint secretary responsible for cyber diplomacy, e-governance and information technology at India’s Ministry of External Affairs; and Joshua Young, senior bureau official for the Bureau of Emerging Threats at the U.S. Department of State.
Highlighting the objectives of the dialogue, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the four countries reaffirmed their shared emphasis on strengthening regional resilience and the capacity of Indo-Pacific nations to determine their own paths under the updated FOIP framework.
The officials exchanged views on cooperation to strengthen regional cyber capabilities and defend against and deter cyber threats. They also agreed to continue close cooperation in the cyber domain.
The Quad brings together India, Australia, Japan and the United States to promote an open, free, inclusive, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific region.
The latest discussions build on a series of diplomatic engagements among the four countries. Last month, senior representatives from India, the United States, Japan and Australia reviewed cooperation on maritime security, critical technologies and economic security.
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri chaired the Quad Sherpas’ meeting in New Delhi. The delegations included U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Deputy Secretary Elly Lawson, and Japanese Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Hiroyuki Namazu.
Commenting on the meeting, the U.S. Department of State said the officials reviewed progress on ongoing Quad initiatives and discussed ways to strengthen practical cooperation, reaffirming their shared commitment to advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The discussions covered maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technologies, humanitarian assistance and disaster response. Delegates also reviewed broader regional and international developments.
The State Department emphasized the alliance’s focus on practical outcomes, saying the Quad Sherpas had reaffirmed the importance of pursuing concrete, action-oriented initiatives.
In July, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila.
The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and expressed strong support for the unity and centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the region.
In a joint statement, Jaishankar, Wong, Motegi and Rubio underscored the group’s commitment to Indo-Pacific prosperity and cooperation with ASEAN member states. (ANI)
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