New Delhi, May 26 -- Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday emphasised the importance of safeguarding sovereign choice and maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, while reaffirming Australia's commitment to deeper Quad cooperation.

Addressing the Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting in New Delhi, Wong praised India's role in the region and highlighted the strategic significance of the gathering.

"We meet in the world's largest democracy and a power that is so important in the shaping of the Indo-Pacific and the world," Wong said during her opening remarks.

Referring to an earlier 2025 Quad discussion in Washington, Wong recalled Jaishankar's remarks on strategic autonomy and sovereign decision-making.

"I want to start by refle...