Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) Initiative

13 Nov 2023 Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) Initiative

This article covers “Daily Current Affairs”, and the topic details “Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) Initiative”. This topic has relevance in the “International Relations” section of the UPSC CSE exam.

For Prelims:
What is the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) Initiative?
What is QUAD? 

For Mains:
GS2:  International Relations

Why in the news?

Navy Chief Admiral R. Hari Kumar recently stated that the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) initiative, introduced by the Quad grouping, reflects our dedication to a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.

Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) Initiative

• The IPMDA initiative is a technology and training initiative to enhance maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific region and increase transparency to its critical waterways. 
• It was announced by the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) grouping, comprising India, Australia, Japan, and the United States, at the Tokyo summit in May 2022.

Aims:

• Establish a comprehensive system for monitoring and securing maritime activities in the Indo-Pacific.
• Ensure the safety of critical sea lines of communication
• Promote cooperation among like-minded nations in the region

Benefits of the IPMDA : 

• Maritime domain awareness and Tracking of “dark shipping”: 
  • Dark shipping refers to maritime vessels that have turned off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders, making them difficult to track. 
  • The IPMDA initiative will help to track dark shipping and other tactical-level activities, such as rendezvous at sea, which can be used for illicit purposes.
• Improved response to climate and humanitarian events: 
  • The IPMDA initiative will provide partners with a better understanding of maritime activities in their waters, which will help them to better respond to climate and humanitarian events, such as natural disasters and search and rescue operations.
• Increased transparency: 
  • The initiative is designed to increase transparency in the Indo-Pacific maritime domain, which will help to reduce the risk of misunderstandings and miscalculations between the nations. 

Quadrilateral Security Dialogue

• The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is a strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. 
• It was initiated in 2007 and revived in 2017. 
• The Quad is not a formal alliance but a significant forum for dialogue and cooperation on various security issues.

Objectives of the Quad

• Promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region
• Uphold the rules-based international order
• Cooperate on security issues such as maritime security, counter-terrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
• Promote free and open trade and investment in the Indo-Pacific region.

Significance of Quad: 

• Regional Security: 
  • The Quad promotes a free, open, prosperous Indo-Pacific region. 
  • It serves as a counterbalance to the increasing assertiveness of China in the region, contributing to regional security and stability.
• Strategic Cooperation: 
  • As an inter-governmental security forum, the Quad facilitates strategic cooperation and dialogue among its member countries – the United States, India, Australia, and Japan. 
  • This collaboration enables sharing of information, joint military exercises, and discussions on maritime security and economic resilience.
• Economic and Infrastructure Development: 
  • The Quad members are committed to enhancing connectivity, infrastructure development, and economic resilience cooperation. 
  • This can have a significant impact on regional economic development and prosperity.
• Indo-Pacific Influence: 
  • The Quad represents a concerted effort by democratic nations to uphold the principles of democracy, the rule of law, and respect for international law in the Indo-Pacific region. 
  • This underscores the shared commitment to regional influence and the promotion of common values.
• Response to China: 
  • The revival of the Quad in 2017 and its subsequent activities have been viewed as a response to China’s expanding economic and military power. 

Sources: Quad’s IPMDA a proof of our commitment to a free, open, inclusive Indo-Pacific: Navy Chief – The Hindu

Download Yojna daily current affairs eng med 13th November 2023

Q1. With reference to the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) Initiative, consider the following statements: 

1. IPMDA initiative is an initiative to enhance maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific region.
2. It was announced by the G-20 grouping at the New Delhi Summit 2023. 

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2  

(d) None 

Answer: (a ) 

Q2. Consider the following: 

1. Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is a strategic dialogue between Australia, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States. 
2. The Quad is not a formal alliance or a treaty-based organisation.
3. The Quad was initiated in 2007 as a response to China’s expanding economic and military power. 

How many of the abovementioned statements are correct?

(a) Only one 

(b) Only two 

(c) All three 

(d) None

Answer: (a)

Q3. Evaluate the strategic and geopolitical implications of India’s participation in the Quad grouping, with a focus on its impact on national security.

Gaurav N