US envoy Sergio Gor highlights Quad’s role ahead of Rubio’s Manila visit

New Delhi: The United States ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, has said the US is committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific and the Quad is a key pillar of regional security. The comments come ahead of a visit to the Philippines by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a series of high-level Asean meetings.

Gor shared the message in a post on X, saying he looked forward to joining Rubio for the second Quad foreign ministers’ meeting of the year. He also stressed that the US views its Quad partners as essential to advancing peace, security and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

According to ANI, Rubio travelled to Manila on Saturday and will be there until Thursday to attend Asean-led meetings and hold bilateral talks with senior leaders from across the Indo-Pacific. The visit is aimed at strengthening US engagement with regional partners, particularly the Philippines.

The US department said the visit will highlight the tangible outcomes of the US-Asean partnership while deepening Washington’s comprehensive partnership with Manila. It added that the trip supports the US goal of promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific that delivers security, stability and prosperity for the region.

During the visit, Rubio is scheduled to participate in the Asean post-ministerial conference, East Asia Summit foreign ministers’ meeting, Asean Regional Forum foreign ministers’ meeting, and the second Quad foreign ministers’ meeting of the year. He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with leaders from several Indo-Pacific countries on the sidelines of the events.

The meetings are held in parallel to the Philippines’ hosting of the Asean foreign ministers’ meeting (AMM), the post-ministerial conferences (PMC) and the events marking the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) from July 19-24. The talks are expected to touch on regional security, economic cooperation and the changing strategic environment in the Indo-Pacific.