New Delhi, May 31, (Agency) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday commended Indian Coastguard for bolstering coastal security and stressed on the need to maintain maritime preparedness in the constantly changing global scenario. The Defence Minister inaugurated the 39th Commanders’ Conference of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) here which will deliberate upon key issues of India’s maritime security for three days. “There have been no reports of any breach in coastal security in the last 14 years due to the ICG’s dynamic strategy and its cooperation with the Indian Navy and local administration,” he said. The ICG Commanders conference is held annually, where all Regional Commanders put forth the roadmap for the future and discuss various policy and strategic issues. The conference aims to carve out a futuristic vision for the service and determine the modalities to overcome challenges efficiently. Rajnath Singh pointed out that there has been a shift in India’s maritime security needs due to the ever-evolving global situation. Recalling the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, he said, the incident showed that for a long time the country’s orientation was focused on the security of land borders and not much attention was paid to coastal security.
He lauded the ICG for continuously enhancing its capability in the last few years and playing a key role in bolstering coastal security. “Due to these efforts, the country has not witnessed any terror activity from the sea route since the 2008 Mumbai attacks,” he said. Singh shared his views on the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific, terming the region as an important aspect of India’s maritime security. “The growing regional and global trade in this region has brought forth new challenges. Geopolitical tensions and clash of strategic interests have led to traditional security challenges. Terrorism, drug trafficking and piracy are some non-traditional challenges in front of us today,” he said. The entire region is being affected by these challenges. Being a responsible maritime power, we have a clear interest to create a rule-based, peaceful and stable environment, he added.
He said that such a rule based environment is essential for both regional and global prosperity. In such a situation, the ICG has a big role to play, he said. “Our long coastline with deep-water ports, a prosperous Exclusive Economic Zone and islands at both ends present a unique position. The IOR accounts for more than two-thirds of the world’s oil shipments. One-third of bulk cargo and more than half of container traffic pass through it. The safety of these sea routes is not only directly connected to our economic interests, but it also establishes India as a Net Security Provider in IOR,” he stated. The minister said that more than 3,000 fishing boats, along with 24,000 fishermen, were brought to safety during the devastating cyclones last year due to the preventive and measured response stance of ICG operations. Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar, DG ICG VS Pathania and other senior officials of the Defence Ministry and the ICG were also present on the occasion.