Why maritime surveillance in the Indo-Pacific starts with trust before data

Monitoring the high seas is a growing focus for countries. Modern technology enables the detection of illicit activities such as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, or “dark shipping”. But Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) comes with sensitivities. No country wants to hand over raw data – transponder tracking, classified sensor inputs, or patrol imagery – that could be reinterpreted, politicised or offer a rival technical advantage.

This makes MDA a matter of trust management. Effective MDA depends on the willingness of countries to share information and coordinate responses. But data security concerns make that a delicate exercise. Differing security priorities, uneven capabilities, and geopolitical rivalries, particularly with China’s presence, can complicate cooperation. The same piece of maritime information can be politically neutral to one state and inflammatory to another. A vessel track read as routine fishing activity by a coast guard could, in a different context, be taken as evidence of grey-zone coercion.

That is why capacity-building – which includes training, establishing platforms, and analytic support – is a constructive approach to strengthening MDA cooperation efforts.

Many Indo-Pacific states simply lack the secure, accredited infrastructure needed to handle sensitive feeds. Even willing partners raise cybersecurity and chain-of-custody concerns. As a result, donor countries prefer to invest in hardware, training, and fusion centre development – strengthening indigenous capacity without exposing their own unfiltered data streams. The Quad-supported ambitions for an Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) reflect this approach: building shared “common operating pictures” through assisted centres, rather than pushing for unfettered data exchange.

This modular cooperation can also include targeted technical assistance, provision of sensors or patrol craft, and collaborative exercises that set agreed rules for data use. In practice, this means more offers of maritime patrol aircraft, coastal radar, and training packages, with fewer deep, persistent intelligence-sharing arrangements.

The IPMDA concept is built on recognition that trust is as important as technology and pledges to supply partners across Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and the Indian Ocean with near-real-time monitoring tools – leveraging commercial satellite radio-frequency data and “common operating picture” frameworks through regional fusion centres. Quad members have run pilot programs and technical demonstrations to support maritime agencies.

Japan has also been active in bilateral MDA support, particularly with Southeast Asian partners. In 2024, Tokyo announced the supply of coastal radar systems and patrol boats worth US$10.7 million to the Philippines under its new Official Security Assistance framework. The aim is to enhance Manila’s ability to monitor the contested waters in its neighbourhood.

The Pacific Islands have benefited from Operation Blue Pacific, a US-led initiative that combines capacity building with operational enforcement. Through “shiprider” agreements, local law enforcement officers embark on US Coast Guard vessels to conduct inspections in their own exclusive economic zones. This operational model strengthens both regional law enforcement and interoperability among partners.

In the Indian Ocean, India’s Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), established in 2018, has emerged as a hub for maritime data integration and analysis. Hosting liaison officers from more than a dozen countries, the IFC-IOR conducts workshops, live demonstrations, and exercises focused on threats ranging from piracy to illegal fishing.

Other cooperative frameworks, such as the North Pacific Coast Guard Forum, bring together maritime agencies for coordinated training and sharing of best practice. These platforms, though less high-profile than the Quad, stand to deliver steady gains in technical capacity, operational trust, and regional resilience.

Several policy implications flow from the desire to enhance MDA efforts with better local operations. Tailored support can comprise:

• Scalable capacity packages that integrate sensors, skilled personnel, and fusion centre support;
• Legally robust governance frameworks allowing tiered data access, from aggregated pictures to vetted raw feeds; and
• Confidence-building measures such as joint drills and transparent incident protocols.

These building blocks could form a basis to support a long-term ambition for information-sharing alongside greater maritime integration. But politically and operationally, starting with capacity is the most pragmatic way to strengthen overwatch on the waters of the Indo-Pacific.

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