Multi-country maritime tracking network launched during Quad Summit

The IPMDA is designed to work with regional partners to respond to humanitarian and natural disasters, and combat illegal fishing

The four-nation group Quad on Tuesday launched a new initiative, in which multiple maritime tracking agencies would be integrated to keep an eye on illegal fishing activities and tactical movements in the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean region.

The network will allow tracking of “dark shipping” and other tactical-level activities, such as rendezvous at sea, besides improving the partner nations’ ability to respond to climate and humanitarian crises and protect the fisheries that are vital to many Indo-Pacific economies.

In a joint statement, the Quad leaders said that the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) was designed to work with regional partners to respond to humanitarian and natural disasters, and combat illegal fishing.

The monitoring network’s creation is one of the crucial outcomes of the second in-person meeting of the Quad leaders – US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi – in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Read | Quad nations warn on 'change by force' with eyes on China

Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region at Gurugram will be a part of the multi-country eye-in-the-sky platform along with the Information Fusion Centre in Singapore; the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency in the Solomon Islands, and the Pacific Fusion Centre in Vanuatu. The last two are supported by Australia.

As the initiative proceeds, the Quad will identify future technologies of promise, allowing IPMDA to remain a cutting-edge partnership that promotes peace and stability throughout the region, reads the joint statement.

“Quad is carrying a constructive agenda for the Indo-Pacific region. This will further strengthen the image of the Quad as a Force for Good,” Prime Minister Modi said. “This is ensuring peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”

Since illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, predominantly by the Chinese trawler fleet is a major concern in the Indo-Pacific, the Quad initiative may act as a counterbalance to put pressure on Beijing.

In recent years, such fishing practices have emerged as a maritime threat with studies showing that illegal and unregulated fishing not only deplete the stocks but also deprive vulnerable regional economies of an important food source.

The leaders also announced a Quad Fellowship that will sponsor 100 American, Australian, Indian, and Japanese students to study in the United States each year for graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

The Quad Fellowship application is live and will remain open until June 30, 2022. The first class of Quad Fellows will arrive on campus in autumn 2023.

In their statement, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and emphasised the importance of fundamental values and principles. They also expressed their commitment to work tirelessly to deliver "tangible results" to the region.

"In doing so, we will regularise the Quad activities, including regular meetings by the Leaders and Foreign Ministers. We agree to hold our next in-person summit in 2023 hosted by Australia," they said.