Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship Shaunak sailed from Chennai on Friday (September 25, 2026) for Perth, Australia , as part of the QUAD-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission, aimed at enhancing maritime interoperability and professional exchanges among India , Australia, Japan and the United States .
Six officers, designated as ‘Sea Riders’, have embarked onboard Shaunak for the mission, according to Indian Coast Guard.
The initiative is aligned with the QUAD Foreign Ministers’ Joint Statement of May 26, 2026, which reiterated the grouping’s commitment to a free, open, inclusive and rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific. The group comprises two officers each from India and Japan and one officer each from Australia and the U.S. They will participate in shipboard activities and professional exchanges during the voyage. The mission is intended to strengthen coordination, enhance mutual understanding of maritime operations and build professional linkages among the four QUAD countries. The deployment also reflects India’s MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision and the ICG’s emphasis on collective engagement and cooperation with partner maritime forces to contribute to a secure maritime environment across the Indo-Pacific. The QUAD, comprising India, Australia, Japan and the U.S., has been expanding practical cooperation in the maritime domain, including efforts to improve coordination and interoperability among its member countries.
