A ministry communiqué confirms that The United States, Australia, India, and Japan conducted a tabletop exercise (TTX) in Tokyo on September 3 and 4, 2026, to advance the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN). This activity, hosted by the Ministry of Defense of Japan, aimed to enhance civilian response efforts across the region, particularly in the wake of recent devastating floods. The statement does not mention the specific location or nature of the floods that prompted the exercise, but it underscores a shared commitment to supporting regional partners in times of need. The IPLN, as defined by the statement, enables Quad partners to leverage shared logistics capabilities to support civilian response to large-scale natural disasters more rapidly and efficiently across the Indo-Pacific to save lives, boost recovery efforts, and provide support for regional partners. This TTX reaffirmed the Quad’s unwavering commitment to strengthen practical cooperation to address regional challenges and to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Context
This TTX represents the second iteration of the Quad’s IPLN initiative. The inaugural TTX, held in Hawai’i in April 2025, and a Field Training Exercise (FTX) in Guam in December 2025, served as foundational exercises. The Tokyo TTX specifically focused on natural disaster response scenarios, examining how best to leverage each partner’s logistics capabilities. The statement does not mention the specific disaster scenarios tested, but the chosen focus—natural disasters—reflects a region increasingly vulnerable to climate-related events. The development of the IPLN Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) is a key objective, intended to provide an institutional framework for the effective operationalization of the network. These SOPs, the statement indicates, will be the result of this TTX.
What to Watch
The statement does not mention any immediate follow-up actions to the TTX. It indicates that Quad partners will continue to make efforts to operationalize the IPLN, including through tabletop and field training exercises, confidence building measures, and subject matter expert exchanges. Should the visit yield a draft of the IPLN SOPs, the statement does not specify a timeline for their publication. The statement does not address the timing or scope of future FTX activities. The statement does not mention any specific funding allocated for the IPLN. The ongoing operationalization of the IPLN will likely be contingent on continued collaboration and resource commitments from all four partners.
Background
The Quad Sherpas’ Meeting in New Delhi on September 3, 2026, preceded the Tokyo TTX. India’s Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri hosted the meeting, as confirmed in a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs on September 13, 2026. The statement does not mention the specific discussions held during the Sherpas’ meeting, but it highlights the ongoing diplomatic engagement within the Quad framework. The United States welcomes Djibouti’s signing of the Artemis Accords on September 14, 2026, as reported by the Department of State. This event, while unrelated to the Tokyo TTX, demonstrates the broader scope of U.S. engagement within the Indo-Pacific region.
