MANILA — The leaders of the United States, Japan, Australia and India are expected to meet in Manila on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, for the first Quad leaders' summit in two years, putting the Indo-Pacific's most important security partnership back at the centre of American diplomacy. The Quad Summit in Manila will bring together President Donald Trump, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sidelines of the ASEAN summits — the first Quad summit held in a country that is not a member of the group.

The White House has publicly confirmed the plan. Assistant Press Secretary Olivia Wales told reporters in a pre-trip briefing that Trump will take part in a "multilateral meeting" with Quad leaders to discuss peace, prosperity and security in the Indo-Pacific. Japan's government confirmed on Friday, November 13, that Takaichi will take part. India has not officially confirmed the meeting, although Modi is already scheduled to be in Manila on November 16 and 17 for the 23rd ASEAN-India Summit and the 21st East Asia Summit. Trump leaves Washington early on Monday, November 16, and reaches Manila on the evening of Tuesday, November 17.

Key Points

• Trump, Modi, Takaichi and Albanese are expected to meet in Manila on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, for the first Quad leaders' summit in two years.
• It is the first Quad summit since President Donald Trump returned to office, and the first held in a non-Quad country.
• The White House has confirmed the plan; Japan confirmed on Friday, November 13, that Takaichi will attend, while India has not officially confirmed the meeting.
• The agenda includes critical minerals, commercial shipping lanes, energy security and attacks on commercial ships.
• The last Quad leaders' summit was in Wilmington, Delaware, in September 2024 under then-President Joe Biden.

What Happened

The plan was confirmed in stages over the past week. First came the White House: in a pre-trip briefing, Assistant Press Secretary Olivia Wales said Trump would take part in a "multilateral meeting" with Quad leaders to discuss peace, prosperity and security in the Indo-Pacific, the standard language the four governments use to describe the grouping's purpose. Japan moved next. On Friday, November 13, Tokyo confirmed that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will take part in the Manila meeting. Takaichi, who became Japan's prime minister in October, will be attending her first Quad summit as leader, and the meeting gives her an early platform to set out Japan's approach to the Indo-Pacific.

Background: Two Years Without a Quad Summit

The Quad — formally the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue — brings together the United States, Japan, Australia and India, four democracies that have built the grouping into the central forum for their cooperation across the Indo-Pacific, with working groups covering maritime security, critical minerals, technology, health and infrastructure. The last time the four leaders met as the Quad was in Wilmington, Delaware, in September 2024, under then-President Joe Biden. That summit produced commitments on maritime surveillance, cancer research and clean-energy cooperation, but since then the grouping has continued only at ministerial and officials' level — a gap of more than two years.

Quad Summit in Manila: What Is on the Table

The agenda reflects the pressures the four countries have been dealing with all year. Critical minerals head the list: the United States, Japan, Australia and India have all been working to reduce their dependence on China for the rare earths and processed minerals used in batteries, electronics and defence equipment, and the Quad has become the main forum for coordinating that effort, from mining and processing in Australia to refining and manufacturing in Japan, India and the United States.

Reactions

The White House framed the meeting in the language of the Quad's founding purpose. Assistant Press Secretary Olivia Wales told reporters that Trump would join the Quad leaders for a "multilateral meeting" to discuss peace, prosperity and security in the Indo-Pacific, a formulation that deliberately avoids singling out any one country and keeps the focus on the region as a whole.

Why It Matters

The Quad is the most consequential grouping in the Indo-Pacific that does not include China, and its revival at leaders' level matters for reasons that go well beyond the one-day meeting in Manila. For the United States, the summit is a chance to show that its Indo-Pacific partnerships are intact and active, at a moment when American attention has been pulled toward the war with Iran and toward the Middle East for most of the year. For Japan, the meeting is Takaichi's introduction to the Quad as prime minister. For Australia, it is a platform to push the critical minerals agenda. And for India, it is a reminder that New Delhi's role in the Indo-Pacific is not limited to its own neighbourhood.

What Happens Next

All eyes will now be on whether India formally confirms the meeting in the hours before Trump arrives in Manila. If Modi attends, the summit will be the first full Quad leaders' gathering in more than two years, and the four governments are expected to issue a joint statement setting out their commitments on critical minerals, shipping and energy security.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Quad Summit in Manila?
The leaders are expected to meet on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, on the sidelines of the ASEAN summits in Manila.

Who is attending the Quad Summit?
President Donald Trump, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese are expected to attend.

Why is this Quad Summit significant?
It is the first Quad leaders' summit in two years, the first since Trump returned to office, and the first held in a country that is not a Quad member.

What is on the agenda?
Critical minerals, commercial shipping lanes, energy security and attacks on commercial ships, alongside peace, prosperity and security in the Indo-Pacific.

When was the last Quad leaders' summit?
The last one was in Wilmington, Delaware, in September 2024, under then-President Joe Biden. India was supposed to host in 2025 and 2026, but that did not happen.

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