In a historic maritime collaboration, the Coast Guards of India, the US, Japan, and Australia have launched the ‘QUAD At Sea Ship Observer Mission’, following the Wilmington Declaration (2024) at the 6th Quad Leaders’ Summit in Delaware, USA.
This first-of-its-kind initiative focuses on enhancing interoperability, maritime domain awareness (MDA), and search & rescue (SAR) operations. It promotes cross-embarkation of officers, including women, aboard QUAD nations’ vessels like the USCGC Stratton headed to Guam.
Aligned with India’s SAGAR Vision, MAHASAGAR Doctrine, and Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), this mission aims to ensure a rules-based Indo-Pacific.
The Wilmington Declaration also emphasized cooperation in infrastructure, cyber security (via QUIN), climate action (through Q-CHAMP), and people-to-people ties, reinforcing the QUAD as a “force for good” in the region.
The QUAD, revived in 2017, continues to address strategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific through coordinated efforts in security, technology, and humanitarian support.
