The Australian Border Force (ABF) hosted the 21st Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM), from 13 October to 16 October 2025 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney, bringing together senior officials from 22 Indo-Pacific nations to strengthen cooperation on regional maritime security.
HACGAM serves as a key platform for major coast guards and civil maritime security agencies to discuss shared challenges, including law enforcement, search and rescue, environmental protection, disaster response, and efforts to combat piracy, people smuggling, and maritime terrorism.
ABF Deputy Commissioner Tim Fitzgerald said the meeting highlights Australia’s long-term commitment to collaboration with regional maritime counterparts. “As maritime threats evolve, collaboration between coast guards has never been more important,” Deputy Commissioner Fitzgerald said.
“This meeting reaffirms Australia’s shared responsibility to uphold maritime security, safety, and environmental protection across the Indo-Pacific. Through cooperation and coordination, we can meet the complex maritime challenges of our region together.”
The 22 member nations of HACGAM include Australia, India, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, among others. Hong Kong is participating as a region, while the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime are attending as associate members.
Earlier in June, a two-member India Coast Guard (ICG) delegation participated in the HACGAM Working Level Meeting held in Sydney from 16–20 June 2025. The ICG chaired the Maritime Search and Rescue pillar, underscoring India’s leadership in regional maritime safety.
The delegation also contributed actively to Working Groups on Environmental Protection, Prevention of Crimes at Sea, and Information Sharing and Joint Exercises. Through such engagements, the ICG continues to foster cooperation, build capacity, and enhance coordinated responses to maritime emergencies across the Indo-Pacific.
Observer nations at HACGAM 2025 include the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Italy.
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