The foreign ministers of the Quad - comprising India, the U.S., Japan, and Australia - strongly condemned the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which claimed the lives of several Indian security personnel. In a joint statement, the Quad emphasized that perpetrators of such acts must be brought to justice, reaffirming their commitment to counter-terrorism cooperation.

This was the first high-level Quad meeting following the Indian general elections and reflected a strategic recalibration. The statement notably sharpened focus on China’s assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, maritime security, and regional connectivity - while deliberately avoiding any reference to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, marking a departure from earlier Quad communiqués.

Analysts view this as a move to solidify the group’s Indo-Pacific identity while avoiding issues that could divide the partners. While the condemnation of the Kashmir attack signals unity on terrorism, the absence of comments on other global conflicts may reflect the Quad’s evolving priorities - choosing cohesion over controversy.