QUAD Mechanisms Survive despite Limited Summitry

Contrary to earlier concerns about diminished US interest under President Donald Trump, the first foreign ministers' meeting of the Quad during his second term reaffirmed the grouping's continued relevance to his administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy, according to rediff.com. The Quad, which began in 2007 and was revitalized in 2017 as a formal forum, maintains several mechanisms despite limited summit-level meetings.

Although President Trump appears wary of such forums, some analysts argue that these mechanisms continue to function because the US remains invested in them regardless of his approach.

One example is the Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN), which began as a Quad initiative to strengthen humanitarian assistance and disaster relief cooperation among Australia, India, Japan, and the United States.

Its roots lie in recognizing that the Indo-Pacific is highly vulnerable to natural disasters such as cyclones, earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods, which demand rapid, coordinated responses. The idea was first discussed in Quad security dialogues as a way to move beyond strategic rhetoric into practical, operational collaboration.

By 2025, the IPLN was formally launched through joint exercises, including the first operational drill during Operation Christmas Drop in Guam, where Quad members tested shared logistics, airlift, and supply chain coordination. From December 8 to 12, 2025, Quad partners successfully conducted their first Field Training Exercise at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam as part of the Quad IPLN.

This FTX strengthened the Quad partners’ disaster response capacity through training activities, including boarding a Japan Air Self-Defense Force C-130H transport aircraft. The exercise focused on interoperability and coordination between the partners’ capabilities. This capacity is key to the Quad’s goal to better support regional partners in times of need.

Together with the IPLN Tabletop Exercise conducted in April 2025, this FTX reflected the

Quad’s commitment to strengthening practical cooperation to address regional challenges and ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific. In the future, we plan to explore regular IPLN activities, including tabletop and field training exercises, confidence-building measures, and expert exchanges.

The network’s origin reflects a shift in Quad priorities from strategic balancing to capacity-building and resilience, ensuring that member states can pool resources, deploy aid quickly, and support regional partners. Thus, IPLN emerged as a cornerstone of Quad’s humanitarian and logistics cooperation.