ISI Joins Regional Workshop on Maritime Domain Awareness in the Indo-Pacific

Dr. Ian Montratama, Director of Research at Indo-Pacific Strategic Intelligence (ISI), participated in the workshop “Maritime Domain Awareness in the Indo-Pacific: National Approaches, Regional Gaps and Opportunities for Collaboration,” held in Bengaluru, India, on 29–30 September 2026. Organised by the Council for Strategic and Defense Research (CSDR), the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada), the workshop brought together experts and stakeholders to examine national approaches to Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), identify gaps in regional maritime security architectures, and explore opportunities for international cooperation.

The workshop addressed the growing importance of MDA in responding to maritime security challenges across the Indo-Pacific, including grey-zone activities, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, dark fleet operations, and threats to critical undersea infrastructure. Discussions also examined the fragmentation of existing MDA systems, particularly in terms of information sharing, institutional coordination, interoperability, and the integration of commercial earth-observation capabilities into regional maritime surveillance efforts.

During the workshop, Dr. Ian Montratama delivered a presentation titled “Maritime Domain Awareness in Indonesia: Strategic Intent, Current Challenges, and Regional Collaboration Opportunities.” His presentation examined Indonesia’s strategic approach to MDA, the institutional and operational challenges affecting its development, and potential avenues for cooperation with regional partners.

The presentation highlighted the importance of maritime security within Indonesia’s national defence and security frameworks. As an archipelagic state situated along major international shipping routes, Indonesia has a strategic interest in maintaining comprehensive maritime awareness to safeguard its sovereignty, protect national interests, and support regional maritime stability. The Indonesian Archipelagic Sea Lanes (Alur Laut Kepulauan Indonesia/ALKI), comprising three designated sea lanes, were highlighted as an important component of this strategic landscape.

Despite their strategic significance, Indonesia’s maritime domain presents considerable surveillance and coordination challenges. Dr. Ian identified four key constraints to the development of MDA: fiscal limitations, institutional fragmentation, doctrinal gaps, and limited Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA). These challenges include constraints on investment in advanced surveillance systems, insufficient integration of information across maritime authorities, the absence of a dedicated operational concept for monitoring and securing the ALKI, and limited capabilities to monitor activities beneath the sea surface.

The presentation emphasised the need for a more integrated MDA ecosystem that connects information across surface, underwater, and cyber domains. Strengthening coordination between military and civilian institutions, improving interoperability, and developing clearer operational frameworks would support a more comprehensive maritime picture and enable more coordinated responses to emerging security challenges.

Beyond national capability development, regional collaboration was identified as an important avenue for strengthening Indonesia’s MDA. Existing mechanisms, including the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), East Asia Summit (EAS), and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus), provide platforms for dialogue and cooperation. Bilateral partnerships with India, Australia, and Japan, alongside broader regional initiatives involving the Quad and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), also offer potential opportunities to improve information sharing and maritime security coordination.

The workshop further highlighted the potential contribution of commercial earth-observation and space technologies to regional MDA. Connecting technological capabilities with the operational requirements of maritime authorities could expand surveillance options and support more effective information sharing across national and regional systems.

ISI’s participation in the workshop contributed an Indonesian perspective to the broader discussion on maritime security in the Indo-Pacific. The exchange underscored the importance of strengthening national maritime awareness capabilities while exploring practical opportunities for regional cooperation, particularly in addressing shared maritime challenges through improved institutional coordination, information sharing, and technological integration.