Quad pledges over $85 million for trusted AI in Indo-Pacific, to map chip chokepoints

The Quad grouping of India, the United States, Japan and Australia has pledged more than $85 million in technical and financial assistance to widen access to trusted artificial intelligence across the Indo-Pacific.

The commitment was set out in a joint press release after the four foreign ministers met in Atlanta on Saturday, on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong attended. It was the grouping's third ministerial meeting this year, after sessions in May and July.

What the AI pledge covers

Part of the money will be channelled through an accelerator programme run under the Quad, according to the statement as reported by IANS and Elets CIO. The release did not say how much each country would contribute, which countries would benefit first or how the funds would be allocated.

Mapping chip and AI hardware chokepoints

The ministers agreed to launch an effort to identify chokepoints in semiconductor and AI hardware supply chains before they cause disruptions. They will also identify priority countries for cooperation on trusted 5G, 6G, Open RAN and AI-enabled radio access networks, and build a pipeline of trusted 5G projects.

Without naming any country, the statement voiced "grave concerns" about economic coercion, including arbitrary export restrictions, and criticised non-market practices that lead to overcapacity.

On critical minerals, the United States committed $10 million to support facilities in India and Southeast Asian countries that recover minerals from electronic waste and scrap. The partners will also look at easing cross-border procedures for recyclable materials. Other announcements included a first Quad Business Leaders' Forum, a meeting of the members' export credit agencies in Tokyo on November 18, and joint action against cyber-scam compounds that traffic people.

Rubio said the four countries were "delivering results" for their people and the region, ANI reported.

Why it matters for India

India has been building a domestic chip and AI ecosystem while relying heavily on imported hardware and minerals. A Quad exercise to flag supply-chain bottlenecks early, along with US support for e-waste mineral recovery facilities in India, aligns with New Delhi's push for secure supply chains and could help Indian recyclers and electronics makers reduce their dependence on a few source countries.