The Section 1263 Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative (MSI) is designed to enhance multilateral maritime security and bolster maritime domain awareness among foreign nations within the area of responsibility of the United States Indo-Pacific Command.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) identifies seven Indo-Pacific MSI nations—Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh—that are eligible for assistance and training. Additionally, a provision allows for incremental expenses for personnel from Taiwan, Singapore, and Brunei to participate in training programs.
Country teams collaborate with relevant Combatant Commands (CCMD) to submits proposals for approval to Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Staff. DSCA provides program management and execution through the Implementing Agencies.
The NDAA specifies assistance may be provided to the national military or other security forces of an Indo-Pacific country that has a maritime security mission among its functional responsibilities; and any other national-level governmental organization of such a country that has among its functional responsibilities a maritime domain awareness mission for purposes of helping to achieve the maritime domain awareness, provided that the support directly integrates maritime domain awareness activities with the national military or other security forces.
Twenty-three partner nations’ national military or security forces in the INDOPACOM region are eligible to receive Section 1263 assistance. Country teams collaborate with the INDOPACOM J5 and relevant CCMDs to submit proposals to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Staff for approval. Approved proposals are then notified to Congress and executed by DSCA and the Implementing Agencies.
The program is authorized by Section 1263 of the FY16 NDAA, is funded by annual appropriations, and expires on December 31, 2027.