ID :
48277
Sun, 03/01/2009 - 04:39
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Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/48277
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India overhauls coastal security; gives overall charge to Navy
Kochi, Feb 28 (PTI) With the Mumbai terror attacks
exposing lack of coordination among security agencies, India
Saturday completely overhauled its coastal security apparatus
and handed over the overall responsibilty of maritime security
to the Navy.
The Government also named Coast Guard (CG) chief as
the head of the newly set up Coastal Command.
Apart from designating the Naval commanders as Coastal
Defence Commanders, the government would also provide the
Navy with a 1,000-men 'Sagar Prahari Bal' for securing its
installations and create a new north-western region for the CG
in Gujarat.
It will also increase the number of ships, aircraft,
helicopters, bases and manpower for both the Navy and the CG.
Announcing the decision here on the sidelines of
India's first indigenous aircraft carrier keel laying
ceremony, Defence Minister A K Antony said the 26/11 attacks
had "shaken" the country and highlighted the need for
strengthening the maritime security set up to safeguard the
nation against threats from the sea.
"The government has approved certain important
measures for strengthening maritime and coastal security
against threats from the sea," he told reporters.
"Against the backdrop of multiple agencies involved in
coastal security and resultant problems of coordination, the
government has decided to designate the Navy as the authority
responsible for overall maritime security, which includes
coastal security and offshore security," Antony said.
The Navy, he said, would be assisted by Coast Guard,
State Marine Police and other central and state agencies for
the coastal defence of the nation.
"The Coast Guard is additionally designated as
the authority responsible for coastal security in territorial
waters including areas to be patrolled by the coastal police.
The CG Director General will be designated as the Commander
of Coastal Command," Antony said.
"The CG Director General will be responsible for
overall coordination between central and state agencies in all
matters relating to coastal security," he said.
For the smooth functioning of this arrangement and to
prevent rogue ships going unidentified with each agency
shifting the responsibility on the other, the government would
set up four Joint Operations Centres (JOCs).
The JOCs would be established at Mumbai,
Visakhapatnam, Kochi and Port Blair and these centres would
be under the command of the existing Naval
Commanders-in-Chiefs (C-in-Cs) respectively and they would be
designated as the C-in-Cs of Coastal Defence.
"The JOCs will be jointly manned and operated by the
Navy and CG with inputs from diverse agencies including
central and state agencies," Antony said.
The government would also establish a national
Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence (3CI) network
for real-time maritime domain awareness linking the operations
rooms of the Navy and the CG, both at the field and apex
levels.
However, the Navy would control all its joint
operations and those by the CG to ensure that the assets were
optimally deployed and there was synergy between the two
organisations.
"With these measures, the government is expecting that
a new focus will be given for effectively managing threats
from the sea and security for the over 7,500-km coastline,"
Antony said.
By establishing the new, specialised 'Sagar Prahari
Bal', the government hopes for protecting naval assets and
bases on both east and west coasts and island territories. The
Navy would also get 80 new Fast Interception Crafts for
seafront patrolling by the Bal.
The setting up of a new north-west region for the CG
with responsibility to secure the Gujarat coast, sharing
martime borders with Pakistan, would necessitate the creation
of a new post of CG Commander for the region to look after the
surveillance of the State's coast, the Defence Minister said.
With offshore security being an important component of
maritime security, the government also decided to install
Vessel and Air Traffic Management System for all offshore
development areas, as has been done in the Western region by
Petroleum Ministry.
"Along with this, the government would procure
Immediate Support Vessels for offshore security by both the
Petroleum Ministry and the Navy. In the interim, patrolling
using hired crafts will be done," Antony said.
To strengthen the CG, the government would also set up
nine additional Coast Guard stations to integrate into the
'hub and spoke concept' with coastal police stations along
with manpower.
"These stations are to be located at Karwar,
Ratnagiri, Vadinar, Gopalpur, Minicoy, Androth, Karaikal, Hut
Bay and Nizampatnam," the Defence Minister said.
The Coast Guard would be empowered both in terms of
providing assets and necessary manpower for their enhanced
role in guarding the coastline.
New posts of Additional Director General and three
Deputy DGs were sanctioned, in addition to 20 per cent
increase in ships and 30 per cent increase for shore support,
Antony said.
To improve the intelligence set-up of Coast Guard,
adequate manpower resources would also be given. PTI NCB
SAK
NNNN
exposing lack of coordination among security agencies, India
Saturday completely overhauled its coastal security apparatus
and handed over the overall responsibilty of maritime security
to the Navy.
The Government also named Coast Guard (CG) chief as
the head of the newly set up Coastal Command.
Apart from designating the Naval commanders as Coastal
Defence Commanders, the government would also provide the
Navy with a 1,000-men 'Sagar Prahari Bal' for securing its
installations and create a new north-western region for the CG
in Gujarat.
It will also increase the number of ships, aircraft,
helicopters, bases and manpower for both the Navy and the CG.
Announcing the decision here on the sidelines of
India's first indigenous aircraft carrier keel laying
ceremony, Defence Minister A K Antony said the 26/11 attacks
had "shaken" the country and highlighted the need for
strengthening the maritime security set up to safeguard the
nation against threats from the sea.
"The government has approved certain important
measures for strengthening maritime and coastal security
against threats from the sea," he told reporters.
"Against the backdrop of multiple agencies involved in
coastal security and resultant problems of coordination, the
government has decided to designate the Navy as the authority
responsible for overall maritime security, which includes
coastal security and offshore security," Antony said.
The Navy, he said, would be assisted by Coast Guard,
State Marine Police and other central and state agencies for
the coastal defence of the nation.
"The Coast Guard is additionally designated as
the authority responsible for coastal security in territorial
waters including areas to be patrolled by the coastal police.
The CG Director General will be designated as the Commander
of Coastal Command," Antony said.
"The CG Director General will be responsible for
overall coordination between central and state agencies in all
matters relating to coastal security," he said.
For the smooth functioning of this arrangement and to
prevent rogue ships going unidentified with each agency
shifting the responsibility on the other, the government would
set up four Joint Operations Centres (JOCs).
The JOCs would be established at Mumbai,
Visakhapatnam, Kochi and Port Blair and these centres would
be under the command of the existing Naval
Commanders-in-Chiefs (C-in-Cs) respectively and they would be
designated as the C-in-Cs of Coastal Defence.
"The JOCs will be jointly manned and operated by the
Navy and CG with inputs from diverse agencies including
central and state agencies," Antony said.
The government would also establish a national
Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence (3CI) network
for real-time maritime domain awareness linking the operations
rooms of the Navy and the CG, both at the field and apex
levels.
However, the Navy would control all its joint
operations and those by the CG to ensure that the assets were
optimally deployed and there was synergy between the two
organisations.
"With these measures, the government is expecting that
a new focus will be given for effectively managing threats
from the sea and security for the over 7,500-km coastline,"
Antony said.
By establishing the new, specialised 'Sagar Prahari
Bal', the government hopes for protecting naval assets and
bases on both east and west coasts and island territories. The
Navy would also get 80 new Fast Interception Crafts for
seafront patrolling by the Bal.
The setting up of a new north-west region for the CG
with responsibility to secure the Gujarat coast, sharing
martime borders with Pakistan, would necessitate the creation
of a new post of CG Commander for the region to look after the
surveillance of the State's coast, the Defence Minister said.
With offshore security being an important component of
maritime security, the government also decided to install
Vessel and Air Traffic Management System for all offshore
development areas, as has been done in the Western region by
Petroleum Ministry.
"Along with this, the government would procure
Immediate Support Vessels for offshore security by both the
Petroleum Ministry and the Navy. In the interim, patrolling
using hired crafts will be done," Antony said.
To strengthen the CG, the government would also set up
nine additional Coast Guard stations to integrate into the
'hub and spoke concept' with coastal police stations along
with manpower.
"These stations are to be located at Karwar,
Ratnagiri, Vadinar, Gopalpur, Minicoy, Androth, Karaikal, Hut
Bay and Nizampatnam," the Defence Minister said.
The Coast Guard would be empowered both in terms of
providing assets and necessary manpower for their enhanced
role in guarding the coastline.
New posts of Additional Director General and three
Deputy DGs were sanctioned, in addition to 20 per cent
increase in ships and 30 per cent increase for shore support,
Antony said.
To improve the intelligence set-up of Coast Guard,
adequate manpower resources would also be given. PTI NCB
SAK
NNNN
