The Quad is committed to contributing to maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific region, which is fundamental for stability and prosperity. At the 2022 Quad Leaders’ Summit in Tokyo, Quad Leaders announced the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) to enhance existing maritime domain awareness capabilities.
Purpose of IPMDA
IPMDA is a technology and training initiative to enhance maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific region and to bring increased transparency to its critical waterways. IPMDA harnesses innovative technology, such as commercial satellite radio frequency data collection, to provide partners across Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean region and the Pacific with near real-time information on activities occurring in their maritime zones.
Benefits to regional partners
The cutting-edge maritime domain awareness picture provided under IPMDA supports the ability of Indo-Pacific partners to rapidly detect and respond to a wide range of challenges involving illicit maritime activities such as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, climate events, and humanitarian crises. The initiative also involves regional information centres, helping to establish a common operating picture of the maritime domain across the Indo-Pacific region.
Pilots
Quad countries continue to consult with regional partners and provide demonstrations of the technology underpinning IPMDA. The Quad has launched a series of regional pilots delivering radio frequency data to maritime agencies in Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean region and the Pacific.
