Quad Conducts First Field Exercise For Indo-Pacific Disaster Response
WASHINGTON, DC – Quad nations comprising Australia, India, Japan, and the United States have completed their first-ever ‘Field Training Exercise’ aimed at strengthening a shared logistics network for rapid civilian disaster response across the ‘Indo-Pacific’, an official statement said December 16.
The exercise was conducted from December 8 to 12 at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, on the sidelines of Operation Christmas Drop, and marked an operational milestone for the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network, or IPLN, the ‘US Department of State’ said.
IPLN is designed to enable participating countries to leverage shared logistics capabilities to support civilian responses to large-scale natural disasters more rapidly and efficiently across the ‘Indo-Pacific’, the department noted.
The stated objective is to save lives, accelerate recovery efforts, and provide timely support to regional partners affected by emergencies. The training focused on improving disaster response capacity through practical, hands-on activities that tested coordination and interoperability among the four countries.
One of the key training components involved boarding a Japan Air Self-Defense Force C-130H transport aircraft, underscoring the emphasis on airlift coordination and logistics integration. The exercise concentrated on aligning capabilities and procedures among the partners, a step described as central to improving collective responses during humanitarian emergencies.
Interoperability and coordination were identified as core priorities of the training, reflecting the ‘Quad’s’ broader goal of supporting partners in the region during moments of acute need.
Observers say that the focus on disaster response reflects growing recognition among ‘Indo-Pacific’ countries of the scale and frequency of natural disasters in the region, ranging from cyclones and earthquakes to floods and volcanic eruptions. By pooling logistics capabilities, the ‘Quad’ aims to reduce response times and improve coordination when civilian populations require urgent assistance.
India, which has positioned itself as a first responder in the ‘Indian Ocean’ region, has increasingly emphasized humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as a key element of its regional engagement. The IPLN framework aligns with New Delhi’s broader efforts to enhance coordination with like-minded partners in addressing non-traditional security challenges. (IANS)
