**Summary:**
On June 30, 2025, the Coast Guards of the QUAD nations (India, Japan, the United States, and Australia) initiated their first joint "QUAD at Sea Ship Observer Mission" under the Wilmington Declaration. This mission involves the cross-embarkation of two officers, including women officers, from each country aboard the US Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Stratton, which is en route to Guam. The initiative aims to enhance maritime security, interoperability, joint readiness, operational coordination, and domain awareness within the Indo-Pacific region, supporting a Free, Open, Inclusive, and Rules-Based Indo-Pacific. This mission builds upon the vision articulated at the September 2024 QUAD Leaders Summit and signifies strengthened operational ties between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Japan Coast Guard (JCG), US Coast Guard (USCG), and Australian Border Force (ABF). India's involvement aligns with its SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision and complements national efforts under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), emphasizing capacity-building, humanitarian outreach, and maritime rule of law. The "QUAD at Sea" initiative is intended to establish a "QUAD Coast Guard Handshake," fostering trust, coordination, and collective resilience in response to maritime challenges in the region. The press release was issued by PIB Delhi. SRKB Release ID: 2140932.
Key Entities Referenced
QUAD Nations: A strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States.
Indo-Pacific: A biogeographic region, comprising the Indian and the western and central Pacific Oceans, including the seas connecting the two in the general area of Indonesia.
India: One of the four QUAD nations, participating in the maritime observer mission through its Coast Guard.
Japan: One of the four QUAD nations, participating in the maritime observer mission through its Coast Guard.
United States: One of the four QUAD nations, participating in the maritime observer mission through its Coast Guard and providing the US Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Stratton.
Australia: One of the four QUAD nations, participating in the maritime observer mission through its Coast Guard.
Wilmington Declaration: The agreement under which the QUAD at Sea Ship Observer Mission is launched.
Guam: An island territory of the United States in the Western Pacific Ocean, and the destination of the US Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Stratton.
Ministry of Defence
QUAD Nations Launch First-Ever ‘At Sea Observer
Mission’ to Boost Maritime Cooperation
Posted On: 30 JUN 2025 8:12PM by PIB Delhi
In a significant stride toward strengthening maritime security and interoperability in the Indo-Pacific, the
Coast Guards of India, Japan, the United States, and Australia have launched the first-ever ‘QUAD at Sea
Ship Observer Mission’ under the Wilmington Declaration. Two officers, including women officers from each
country have embarked on board US Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Stratton, which is currently sailing to
Guam.
The cross-embarkation mission marks an unprecedented step in QUAD Coast Guard collaboration,
enhancing joint readiness, operational coordination, and domain awareness in support of a Free,
Open, Inclusive, and Rules-Based Indo-Pacific. The mission reflects the vision laid out at the QUAD
Leaders’ Summit in September 2024 and signifies a deepening of operational ties between the
Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Japan Coast Guard (JCG), US Coast Guard (USCG), and Australian
Border Force (ABF).
India’s participation reinforces its strategic maritime vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in
the Region) and complements national efforts under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), with
an emphasis on capacity-building, humanitarian outreach, and maritime rule of law. The QUAD at
Sea initiative thus sets the foundation for a ‘QUAD Coast Guard Handshake,’ fostering stronger
trust, coordination, and collective resilience amid evolving maritime challenges in the region.
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SR/KB
(Release ID: 2140932)