India has offered suggestions to help maintain the movement of commercial shipments through the Black Sea amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said, highlighting New Delhi’s role in international efforts to mitigate disruptions to global food supplies.
Speaking at the conclusion of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Atlanta, Rubio identified India and Türkiye as countries that had contributed ideas on safeguarding shipping movements. However, he cautioned that the exchange of proposals should not be interpreted as progress towards a formal agreement.
The discussions are focused on protecting the movement of agricultural commodities and other essential cargo amid the disruptions caused by the war. Rubio said the impact on food supplies was particularly severe for vulnerable countries, with African nations bearing a significant share of the consequences.
He confirmed that India had expressed interest in putting forward proposals but did not disclose details of the suggestions or indicate whether any agreement was under consideration.
“We’d like to see it happen. It doesn’t solve a war problem, but at least it diminishes some of the impact, spillover impact that it’s having on the food security of vulnerable countries,” Rubio said.
Washington remains open to proposals aimed at facilitating shipping through the Black Sea, although Rubio declined to assess the prospects of a limited ceasefire covering maritime movements. He reiterated that the broader US objective remained a negotiated resolution to the conflict.
Quad to Focus on Practical Maritime Cooperation
Responding to a question from IANS on India’s role and the next steps for the Quad, Rubio said the grouping should move beyond discussions and deliver tangible outcomes through practical cooperation.
He identified infrastructure development, disaster response and maritime domain awareness as key areas for collaboration among India, the United States, Japan and Australia.
Maritime cooperation would include improving awareness of activities both on the surface and underwater, while addressing challenges to freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific.
Rubio also highlighted the potential for a proposed Quad business forum that would bring companies from the four countries together to identify commercial opportunities and strengthen economic partnerships.
Humanitarian assistance and disaster response were other priority areas, with the four countries looking to combine resources and deliver assistance more effectively during regional emergencies, including typhoons, earthquakes and landslides.
“The best way to make a forum useful and important is to make sure that it does something, not just talks about it, but does it,” he said.
Quad Leaders’ Meeting Expected in Manila
Rubio said he hoped the Quad leaders would meet in Manila in November, with further announcements expected on practical areas of cooperation.
He also rejected suggestions that the Quad was designed as a coalition against China or any other country, stating that its purpose was to address common challenges rather than target a particular nation.
However, he acknowledged that concerns over economic coercion and restrictive trade practices could arise from the repeated actions of individual countries.
G20 Discussions Highlight Global Supply Chain Concerns
The wider G20 discussions covered shared challenges relating to food security, critical minerals, supply chains and freedom of navigation. Rubio noted that while participating countries recognised these common challenges, they did not necessarily agree on their causes or the solutions required.
The discussions in Atlanta will contribute to preparations for the G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled to take place in Florida in December.
The Quad, comprising India, the United States, Japan and Australia, has expanded its cooperation across maritime security, infrastructure, technology and humanitarian assistance in the Indo-Pacific. Its focus on maritime domain awareness and freedom of navigation assumes particular significance amid growing geopolitical tensions and disruptions to international shipping routes.