The Quad needs a functional two-ocean strategy in the Indo-Pacific

Don McLain Gill is a Philippines-based geopolitical analyst, author and lecturer at the department of international studies, De La Salle University.

The coastguards of the Quad nations -- the U.S., Japan, India and Australia -- will this month undertake their first joint drills at the Port of Yokohama, near Tokyo. Amid growing concerns over the utility and effectiveness of the group as a maritime security provider in the region, the mission is a welcome development aimed at enhancing interoperability between the four democracies and contributing more significantly to maritime safety.