New Delhi [India], December 19 (ANI): Quad partners carried out the first Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN) Field Training Exercise from December 8 to 12, aimed at strengthening shared logistics capacity for 'swift and effective responses to regional humanitarian needs,' the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday

Highlighting the significance of the exercise, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the initiative was designed to improve coordination and preparedness among Quad countries for swift and effective responses to regional humanitarian needs.

'On the sidelines of Operation Christmas Drop, Quad partners carried out the first Indo-Pacific Logistics Network Field Training Exercise (8-12 Dec 2025) to enhance shared logistics capacity for swift and effective responses to regional humanitarian needs,' Jaiswal said in a post on X.

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/2001912728722739408?s=20

The field training exercise marked the operational follow-up to earlier preparatory efforts undertaken by the Quad to institutionalise coordinated humanitarian logistics in the Indo-Pacific.

Operation Christmas Drop (OCD) is a yearly US Air Force humanitarian mission that involves preparing and airdropping essential supplies such as food, tools and clothing to over 55 isolated islands across the South-Eastern Pacific, including the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau.

Earlier On May 8, the Quad partners had convened at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii for a Tabletop Exercise, which simulated the launch of the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN), according to a statement by the US Department of State.

'From April 28 to May 2, the Quad partners (the United States, Australia, India, and Japan) convened at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii for a Tabletop Exercise, a simulation to launch the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN),' the statement said.

Explaining the purpose of the framework, the statement said the IPLN enables Quad partners to leverage shared logistics capabilities in the Indo-Pacific to support civilian responses to natural disasters more rapidly and efficiently across the region.

As per the statement, the IPLN reflects the Quad's broader commitment to regional stability and cooperation.

'Together with the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness, the IPLN reflects the Quad's commitment to ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific and highlights the value of strengthening practical cooperation to address regional challenges,' it added.

These logistics-focused initiatives align with the Quad's expanding cooperation across other critical domains, including health security.

Earlier, on March 17, India, under its presidency of the Quad, began hosting the 'Quad Workshop on Pandemic Preparedness for the Indo-Pacific Region' from March 17 to 19, 2025.

The workshop was a key outcome of the 6th Quad Leaders' Summit held in September 2024 and aimed to strengthen regional health security through collaboration on governance, surveillance, and emergency response mechanisms.

Senior health officials, technical experts and policymakers from Quad nations--India, the United States, Japan and Australia-- participated in the event.

The workshop had also drawn over 25 delegates from 15 Indo-Pacific countries, including Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Kenya, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives, Mozambique, Palau, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga and Tuvalu.

Representatives from international health organisations also attended it. (ANI)