The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has seized over 179 boats and arrested 1,683 personnel for illegally entering Indian waters in the last 10 years. The seized boats were engaged in illegal activities, including poaching, narcotics smuggling, and illegal immigration.
Sharing the information in the Lok Sabha on Friday, Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth said that to bolster the country’s coastal security, the ICG has taken significant steps, including the deployment of 18-20 ships, 30-35 crafts, and 10-12 aircraft for surveillance on a daily basis.
“ICG assets ensure maritime law enforcement to strengthen coastal security and maintain a rule-based order at sea. Surveillance efforts also focus on the Offshore Development Area (ODA) and seas adjoining Island groups (Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep). Coastal areas are monitored through the Coastal Surveillance Network (CSN), while investigations are conducted by Remote Operating Stations (ROS) and Remote Operating Centres (ROCs),” the minister said in his reply.
It was also mentioned that in the time frame of last decade, the ICG has undertaken 3,00,296 boarding operations for deterrence and to establish the identity of personnel, 153 coastal security exercises, 451 coastal security operations, 458 security drills, and 3,645 joint coastal patrol sorties.
The ICG is also conducting regular community interaction programmes with fisherfolk to discuss various maritime safety and security aspects. A toll-free number, 1554, has also been promulgated for reporting any eventuality at sea. Besides, fishermen watch groups have been created by states to report any suspicious activities along the coast.