Indian Coast Guard: 44 Years of guarding India’s Exclusive Economic Zone

The Indian Coast Guard is the fourth largest Coast Guard in the world and is slated to have 200 surface platforms and 80 aircraft by 2025.

The Coast Guard’s actions at sea enabled seizure of contraband worth about ₹ 1,500 Crore and apprehension of more than 10 foreign fishing boats with 80 miscreants illegally operating in the Indian EEZ last year.

6,000 fishing boats with about 40,000 fishermen were escorted to safe harbours during the passage of 11 cyclones in the previous year, this is in line with the ICG’s ‘Preventive and Measured Response’ stance of operations introduced around 2019. 

In consonance with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘SAGAR’ - Security And Growth of All in the Region, besides rescue and aid, ICG is also collaborating with littoral countries to combat transnational maritime crimes and enhance maritime safety. 

Some of the highlights of last year - dousing a raging fire onboard the 333 M long very large Crude Carrier MT New Diamond with about 3 Lakh metric tonnes of crude oil off Sri Lanka, thereby averting a major ecological disaster. In addition to this, ICG also provided pollution response assistance to Mauritius during the grounding of Merchant Vessel Wakashio and provided 30Tons of Pollution Response equipment, besides training. 

ICG conducted SAR Exercise-2020 (SAREX-2020) to validate the existing strategy for undertaking Mass Rescue Operations. The service is also working in close coordination with Central and State agencies to put in place a robust Coastal Security mechanism.