Maritime security remains a key focus for the United States in the Indo-Pacific region, where major global trade routes such as the East China Sea, South China Sea, Strait of Malacca, and Indian Ocean are located. The U.S. government emphasizes the importance of upholding international maritime law, ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight, and supporting lawful commerce to maintain peace and prosperity.
The region faces challenges including trafficking in persons, illegal migration, drug trafficking, and illegal fishing activities that threaten both economic stability and food security. According to U.S. officials, "China’s expansive and unlawful maritime claims, militarization of reclaimed features, and dangerous and destabilizing activities in the South China Sea threaten the interests of the United States and countries globally."
In line with its strategic priorities under the Trump Administration, the United States has announced more than $55 million in new funding for maritime law enforcement across several Indo-Pacific nations including Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pacific Islands countries, and maritime South Asian states. This funding aims to help these countries address illicit maritime activities and enforce their sovereign rights.
Since 2017, U.S. investments in regional maritime security have exceeded $1.5 billion through various initiatives designed to improve partner capabilities in monitoring waters (maritime domain awareness), building law enforcement capacity at sea, enhancing national defense capabilities through military education and financing programs such as IMET and FMF (with nearly $955 million directed to East Asia and Pacific islands), conducting joint operations including military exercises like Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs), Coast Guard collaborations—such as shiprider agreements—and ongoing diplomatic engagement with regional organizations.
To strengthen monitoring efforts specifically, MDA systems like SeaVision have been provided via partnerships such as the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA). Since its launch by Quad partners in 2022—including Australia, India, Japan—the initiative has delivered over $120 million worth of support for regional coordination on maritime threats.
The Department of War has allocated $293 million since 2020 through its Maritime Security Initiative (MSI) to provide equipment and training that enhances multilateral cooperation among Indo-Pacific nations.
On law enforcement collaboration: "Since 2017, the United States has provided $136 million to Indo-Pacific maritime law enforcement partners to bolster capabilities to project sovereignty," stated U.S. officials.
U.S. Coast Guard presence has increased since 2017 with home ports established for six Fast Response Cutters in Oceania. Bilateral shiprider agreements have been exercised with 12 countries targeting trafficking and illegal fishing; four new agreements were signed within eight years.
The U.S. military also regularly holds exercises involving multiple nations from Republic of Korea to France; 29 significant exercises took place over three years while more than 45 FONOPs have been conducted since 2017 “demonstrating our commitment to upholding freedom of navigation for all nations as a principle.”
Diplomatic engagement continues through platforms such as ASEAN forums or trilateral frameworks with Japan-Philippines or Japan-Republic of Korea collaborations on legal issues or coordinated responses against common threats: "Through the Quad Maritime Security Working Group...the four partners discussed critical maritime legal issues facing the Indo-Pacific." High-level dialogues also occur under expanded ASEAN mechanisms co-chaired by Indonesia or India alongside U.S. representatives.
The announcement highlights sustained efforts by Washington toward a free and open Indo-Pacific amid evolving geopolitical dynamics.