EDITORIAL | Coastal Security: Here's to the Coast Guard & Indian Navy

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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK:

In 2020, India had planned to construct a multipurpose reservoir in Arunachal Pradesh to offset the impact of China's hydropower project.

Brahma Chellaney, a strategic affairs expert and author of the book, "Water- Asia’s New Battleground" on November 30, took to Twitter and stated that India is facing China’s terrestrial aggression in the Himalayas, maritime encroachments on its backyard and, water wars.

The mighty Brahmaputra, one of the longest rivers in the world, passes through China, India and Bangladesh and has several tributaries and sub-tributaries. Under existing bilateral memorandums of understanding (MoU), China provides hydrological information of Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers to India during the flood seasons.

Under the arrangement, China provides flood season data of the Brahmaputra between May 15 and October 15 every year.

To plug the gaps along India’s 7,516 km-long coastline, the Indian Navy, last month, conducted a two-day multi-agency military exercise involving 13 coastal states and Union Territories, to further bolster maritime security and surveillance.

The second edition of exercise ‘Sea Vigil’ aimed to check the efficacy of the measures and the loopholes concerning coastal security following the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.

The Indian Navy and the Coast Guard had taken stringent measures and joint operations to bolster coastal security after the incident.

The role of the Indian Coast guard is not just limited to handling terror subjects as it includes the free-flow of foreign goods into ports, illegal arms shipment, human and drug trafficking.

Globalisation has indeed brought its benefit in terms of access to generic medicines, building materials and many items which are strategically important to general use.

The maritime law enforcement agency which is celebrating its 45th Raising Day has grown into a formidable force with 156 ships and 62 aircraft in its inventory and is likely to achieve targeted force level of 200 surface platforms and 80 aircraft by 2025.

According to reports, the Coast Guard’s role will prove essential in securing the nation’s vital assets.