New Delhi [India], June 30 (ANI): In a significant stride toward bolstering maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, the Coast Guards of the QUAD nations—India, Japan, the United States, and Australia—have jointly launched the “QUAD at Sea Ship Observer Mission,” a multilateral cross-embarkation initiative designed to enhance regional maritime security and interoperability.
According to an official statement, two officers, including a woman officer from each of the four countries, have been deployed onboard the United States Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Stratton, which is currently en route to Guam, USA. This observer-at-sea engagement marks the first-ever initiative of its kind among the QUAD maritime forces: the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Japan Coast Guard (JCG), United States Coast Guard (USCG), and Australian Border Force (ABF).
The initiative was anchored in the Wilmington Declaration, adopted during the QUAD Leaders’ Summit in September 2024. It reaffirms the QUAD’s unified vision of a Free, Open, Inclusive, and Rules-Based Indo-Pacific. The mission aims to enhance interoperability, maritime domain awareness, and operational coordination among the four nations.
India’s participation, through the Indian Coast Guard, aligns with the national maritime vision SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and supports ongoing efforts under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI). It underscores India’s commitment to regional capacity-building, humanitarian assistance, and upholding a rules-based maritime order.
The QUAD at Sea Ship Observer Mission is expected to deepen operational synergies, trust, and governance mechanisms among the Indo-Pacific’s key maritime players, ultimately laying the foundation for what officials described as a “QUAD Coast Guard Handshake.”
As maritime challenges become more complex—ranging from illegal fishing and trafficking to climate-induced disasters—this observer mission represents a decisive move toward collective preparedness, shared maritime security, and enhanced regional resilience.
The QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) is a strategic partnership focused on promoting a stable, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Its agenda encompasses a wide range of priorities, including health security, climate action, infrastructure development, critical and emerging technologies, cyber security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), space collaboration, maritime security, counter-disinformation, and counter-terrorism. (ANI)
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