India will host a meeting of Quad foreign ministers in New Delhi on Tuesday, May 26, the country’s foreign ministry announced.

The gathering brings together officials from Australia, Japan and the United States, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attending on his first official visit to India.

What is the Quad and why does it meet?

The Quad, formally the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is a partnership between Australia, India, Japan and the United States.

It is widely seen as a counterweight to China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean and wider Asia-Pacific region. China has repeatedly alleged the grouping is designed to contain it.

Who is attending the Quad meeting in New Delhi?

India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar will host the meeting, joined by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australia’s Penny Wong and Japan’s Toshimitsu Motegi. Rubio arrives in India on Saturday as part of a broader India tour. The May 26 date also sets the agenda ahead of an upcoming Quad Leaders’ Summit.

The four-way partnership was first conceived by late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who envisioned an alliance of democracies surrounding China. New Delhi’s foreign ministry said ministers would “exchange views on advancing Quad cooperation across priority areas” in keeping with the vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.

What will the Quad foreign ministers discuss?

The talks are expected to focus on Indo-Pacific maritime security, critical minerals and supply chain resilience. Despite shared concerns about China, Quad members have differed on other issues, including the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in Iran.

The New Delhi meeting is designed to deepen strategic and economic ties among the four nations.