Navy takes charge of maritime safety

The government has announced a host of decisions that place the navy as an overall authority for maritime security. The Coast Guard has also been tasked with looking after coastal security with a major increase in its strength and capabilities.

Defence minister AK Antony said the navy will be assisted by Coast Guard and the state marine police. He also announced the setting up of joint operation centres at Mumbai, Vizag, Kochi and Port Blair under the navy that it will be jointly manned with the coast guard.
These centres will monitor all maritime  security operations and alerts on a real time basis. The commanders in chief (C-in-C) of the naval commands have been designated as C-in-Cs coastal defence.
The government will also set up a national command control communication and intelligence network both at the field and apex level.

Antony said the government "has several steps for strengthening the maritime security agencies like navy and coast guard by increasing their assets like ships, boats, helicopters, aircraft etc as well as manpower". These include a setting up of Sagar Prahari Bal, a 1000-man force to protect naval assets.

The force will be given 80 fast interception crafts. A new regional headquarters will be set up in Gujarat close to the Pakistan border for surveillance. 

"The intelligence set up of the coast guard is also being improved with adequate manpower resources," he said. The government has approved setting up of nine additional coast guard stations at locations such as Karwar, Ratnagiri, Minicoy etc. Antony, in his last major policy announcement before the polls said the Centre has approved setting up of a static coastal radar chain and a comprehensive network of automatic identification systems (AIS) along the entire coast. Also, AIS transponders may be introduced for vessels below 300 tonnes.