QUAD Summit Expands Indo-Pacific Maritime Initiative

The QUAD summit is set to expand its Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) initiative from South East Asia to the Indian Ocean Region. The initiative, aimed at monitoring illegal activities at sea, will incorporate new technologies and training. A formal announcement is expected soon.

The QUAD summit is poised to expand its Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) initiative from South East Asia to the Indian Ocean Region, according to the White House on Friday.

The QUAD leadership summit commences Saturday in Wilmington, Delaware, featuring the participation of India, the US, Japan, and Australia. Initially launched at the Tokyo QUAD Leaders Summit two years ago, the maritime initiative aims to curb illegal sea activities.

A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that a formal announcement regarding the expansion will be made in Wilmington on Saturday. The official added that the partnership will now integrate advanced technologies and new training programs to enhance maritime domain awareness.

Another senior official highlighted that extending the IPMDA to the Indian Ocean offers new coordination opportunities, particularly enhancing collaboration between Australia and India with their regional partners.

The official also disclosed plans to pilot a logistics cooperation framework next year, reflecting QUAD's original response to humanitarian disasters. The initiative will increase collaboration in air and sea logistics to better respond to such crises.

Expressing confidence in the QUAD countries' future unity as democracies, the official remarked, "We are four leading democracies, and political change is part of our system." President Joe Biden will host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio at the fourth in-person QUAD Leaders' Summit on Saturday, September 21.

(With inputs from agencies.)