India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clarified that the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Cooperation (IPMSC) initiative should not be interpreted as a militarization of the Quad alliance. During a press briefing following the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Additional Secretary Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur explained that the initiative aims to enhance maritime security and facilitate technology-sharing among Indo-Pacific countries. He noted that international waterways are becoming increasingly congested, with many 'grey and dark ships' operating without oversight. The IPMSC, along with the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) initiative, is intended to provide countries with the necessary tools to monitor these activities. Naidu highlighted that many nations lack access to the expensive technologies required for effective maritime surveillance. The Quad's collaboration includes sharing data from the United States with allied countries in the Indian Ocean Region, thereby improving their security capabilities. The Foreign Ministers emphasized the need for resilient sea links and comprehensive operational awareness across the Indo-Pacific region.