THE four-nation Coast Guard Exercise, scheduled for this week in Yokohama, Tokyo Bay, represents a milestone in the Quad's regional maritime security efforts. Announced during the 2024 Wilmington Quad summit, the exercise brings together the coast guards of Australia, India, Japan and the US to enhance interoperability and maritime safety.

This will be closely followed by a Japan-US-Philippines trilateral exercise in March 2025 in the waters around Japan and later, in June, in the waters north of the Philippines near the South China Sea. Such initiatives underscore the Quad's commitment to fostering a rules-based maritime order, a critical need given the increasing complexities of the Indo-Pacific.