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The Quad member countries, Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, have taken significant steps toward establishing a shared civilian logistics network following the conclusion of a two-day Tabletop Exercise (TTX) in Tokyo.
Hosted by the Ministry of Defence of Japan on September 3 and 4, the exercise focused on natural disaster response scenarios. It aimed to examine how best to leverage each nation's logistics capabilities, streamline inter-partner coordination, and strengthen interoperability across the Indo-Pacific region. According to a joint statement released by the four partner governments, India, US, Japan and Australia, the Tokyo exercise yielded significant progress toward formulating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN). The forthcoming SOPs will serve as the formal institutional framework for operationalising the initiative. The Tokyo drill builds upon previous joint efforts, including the inaugural IPLN TTX held in Hawaii in April 2025 and a Field Training Exercise (FTX) conducted in Guam in December 2025. "Building upon the results of the inaugural IPLN TTX in Hawaii in April 2025 and the Field Training Exercise (FTX) in Guam in December 2025, this TTX focused on natural disaster response scenarios, through which Quad partners examined how best to leverage each partner's logistics capabilities, while strengthening interoperability and streamlining coordination among the four partners," the joint statement shared by the Ministry of External Affairs read. During the discussions, the Quad partners extended their deepest condolences to communities affected by recent devastating floods in the region, reiterating their commitment to coordinating "humanitarian and relief efforts during crisis and emergency situations." Designed to accelerate civilian response efforts during large-scale natural disasters, the IPLN enables partner nations to pool logistical resources to save lives, boost recovery efforts, and support regional partners efficiently. The statement reaffirmed the Quads commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific and noted that operationalisation efforts will continue through future exercises, confidence-building measures, and expert exchanges. Originally introduced as a civilian initiative at the Quad leaders' summit in September 2024, the IPLN harnesses the existing logistics resources of the four countries strictly for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) purposes.(ANI)
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