Quad foreign ministers reaffirm commitment to uphold principles of UN Charter

New York: Foreign ministers of the Quad grouping comprising India, Australia, Japan and the US met here on Friday and reaffirmed their commitment to uphold the principles of the UN Charter.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko met on the margins of the high-level 78th session of the UN General Assembly for the Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting.

"Good to join my fellow Quad foreign ministers from Australia, India, and Japan on the sidelines of #UNGA78. The Quad is vital to our shared vision for a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific, and together we reaffirmed our commitment to uphold the purposes and principles of the @UN Charter," Blinken tweeted, along with a photograph of the Quad Foreign Ministers.

Jaishankar hit the ground running with the Quad meeting shortly after landing in New York Friday morning to participate in the UNGA session.

Taking to X, he said, "A warm discussion with Quad colleagues to start my #UNGA78 participation. Welcomed Japanese FM Yoko Kamikawa to the meeting. Discussed defending the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific and delivering on Quad commitments. Always value our collective contribution to doing global good."

Jaishankar also shared some photographs of the meeting.

"We are delighted to welcome our External Affairs Minister, @DrSJaishankar, who is here in NYC to attend #UNGA78. With a packed agenda, he's here to co-host and actively participate in a series of bilateral & multilateral discussions," India's Permanent Representative at the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj tweeted.

Jaishankar began a nine-day visit to the US on Friday, primarily to attend the annual session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York and to host a special event on Global South.

Following the completion of the 78th UNGA-related engagements, Jaishankar will visit Washington DC from September 27 to 30 for bilateral meetings with his American interlocutors.

"During his visit to New York from September 22 to 26, the External Affairs Minister (EAM) will be leading the Indian delegation for the high-level week at the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in New Delhi.

"In keeping with India's support for Global South, the EAM will be hosting a special event 'India-UN for Global South: Delivering for Development'," it said in a statement.

Jaishankar would also attend various plurilateral and bilateral meetings in New York.

"The EAM will also be meeting with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Dennis Francis, President of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly," the MEA said.

It said Jaishankar's address at the high-level session of the 78th UNGA is scheduled for the forenoon of September 26.

Upon completion of the UNGA-related engagements, he will visit Washington.

His engagements in Washington include discussions with his counterpart American Antony Blinken, senior members of the US administration, US business leaders and think tanks.

Jaishankar will also be addressing the fourth World Culture Festival being organised by the Art of Living, the MEA said.