The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) will soon be armed with more vessels, interceptor boats, choppers and multi-role aircraft.
MUMBAI: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) will soon be armed with more vessels, interceptor boats, choppers and multi-role aircraft to step up aerial and sea surveillance, as part of its efforts to make the county’s coastline more secure.
Vice Admiral R Contractor, Director General, ICG, said: “It is part of our future modernisation plans to save our coastline and for better surveillance.”
The ICG will soon induct three offshore patrol vessels (OPV), three fast-patrol vessels (FPVs), 11 interceptor boats, three Chetak helicopters and six multi-role aircrafts, he said.
Contractor’s was speaking on his first visit to the Western Region (WR) headquarters after being promoted as DG coast guard, on Wednesday.
A senior official from the ICG said that demands for the vessels, boats, choppers and aircraft had been cleared by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
The coast guard is also planning to set up more stations at Murud Janjira, Dahanu and other parts of the WR. He added that a proposal for the allotment of land to construct an airport for ICG aircraft had been sent to the state government.
When asked about the “hotline” established between senior officials of the Indian and Pakistan coast guard for better coordination — especially on the tricky issue of arrest of fishermen — he said, “In 2005, a Memorandum of Understanding had been signed between senior officials ( of the two countries) for the hotline service, and it will soon start working effectively.”
Meanwhile, the ICG is imparting marine police training to Maharashtra police’s pilot batch of 20 personnel.
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