Foreign ministers from Australia, India, Japan and the U.S. will meet on Tuesday in New Delhi to regain momentum in the Quad, a group critics say has slowed under President Donald Trump.
The meeting is the third such gathering since September 2024. A planned summit last year failed amid tensions between Trump and Modi over tariffs.
Rubio stressed the importance of a "free and open Indo-Pacific" and wants the Quad to take concrete actions on maritime security and critical minerals.
Japan is eager to diversify critical mineral supplies after China halted shipments. The Quad will also discuss the U.S.-Iran conflict and the Strait of Hormuz closure.
Beijing has criticized the Quad as a Cold War-style construct. Analysts question whether lack of leader-level engagement has downgraded its importance.
