America’s new Secretary of State Marco Rubio met the foreign ministers of Quad countries including Jaishankar.
Washington:
After the swearing in of Donald Trump in America, the first meeting of Quad Foreign Ministers was held in Washington DC. India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar also arrived to attend this meeting. Along with Jaishankar, his new American counterpart Marco Rubio also attended this important meeting. Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong also participated.
Rubio met with Quad foreign ministers on his first day in office and began his duties as US Secretary of State. Before the meeting, the foreign ministers of the Quad posed for photographs with Rubio in front of the flags of their countries.
‘Participated in the productive meeting of Quad Foreign Ministers’
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said about the meeting in a post on X that he participated in the productive meeting of Quad Foreign Ministers in Washington DC. He also thanked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and said that thanks to Rubio for hosting and to Foreign Ministers Wong and Takashi for participating.
Attended a productive Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting today in Washington DC. Thanks @secrubio for hosting us and FMs @SenatorWong & Takeshi Iwaya for their participation.
Significant that the Quad FMM took place within hours of the inauguration of the Trump Administration. This… pic.twitter.com/uGa4rjg1Bw
—Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 21, 2025
Also said, “It is important that the meeting of Quad Foreign Ministers took place within a few hours of the beginning of the Trump administration. This shows the priority of its member countries in the foreign policy.”
Vice President administered oath to Rubio
The foreign ministers of India, Japan and Australia were in Washington to attend the inauguration ceremony of US President Donald Trump. Earlier in the day, US Vice President JD Vance swore in Marco Rubio as Secretary of State.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will hold his first bilateral meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar after the Quad meeting. S Jaishankar is here at the invitation of the US government to attend the inauguration ceremony of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States. Trump took oath as the President of America on Monday.
The meeting will be held at Foggy Bottom Headquarters
The meeting between the two top diplomats representing the world’s oldest and largest democracies will take place at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department, coming on the heels of the first Quad ministerial meeting in the same building.
Quad is an informal grouping of Australia, India, Japan and America. This (Quad) was an initiative of the Trump administration in its first term. The Biden administration has elevated it to leadership level.
What is the meaning of the first meeting with India?
Rubio’s decision to hold his first bilateral meeting with Quad foreign ministers and India is significant given that the new administration’s first foreign contacts have traditionally been with its two neighbors Canada and Mexico or its NATO allies. In such a situation, Rubio’s bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of India shows India’s growing influence in the world.
Rubio, a former US senator from Florida, was unanimously approved by the US Senate by a vote of 99-0. All 99 current senators voted in favor of Rubio, including Rubio himself. There is currently a vacancy in the Senate after Vice President JD Vance resigned as US senator from Ohio.