PARLIAMENTARY STANDING COMMI TTEE ON DEFENCE REVIEWS

INDIAN COAST GUARD’S ROLE IN COA STAL SECURITY

A meeting of the Parliamentary Standin g Committee on Defence was held at Ch ennai on 16 Nov 24 to review the worki ng of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in en suring coastal security along India’s vast maritime boundaries. The del egation of Members of Parliament (MP s) was led b y Hon’ble MP Shri Radha M ohan Singh, who chaired the meeting. Senior officia ls from the Ministry of De fence (MoD) and ICG also attended the meeting.

The ICG was represented by Director G eneral S Paramesh, PTM, TM, Director G eneral Indian Coast Guard, who provide ided a comprehensive overview of the I CG’s operational capabilities, strategic initiatives, and preparedness to add ress the nation’s coastal security chall enges. The discussion focused on ICG’s ongoing efforts to safeguard India’s maritime int erests, improve coordinatio n with vario ous stakeholders, and enha nce respons e mechanisms for ensuring maritime sar safety and security.

During the review, DG S Paramesh brie fed the Committee on the various facet s of ICG operations, including its exten sive surveillance systems, advanced ves sel fleet, and specialized response u nits. The ICG’s role in preventing mar itime s ecurity threats, such as illegal fishing, Su ggling, and human trafficking, was also highlighted.

The Committee members expressed th eir satisfaction with the Indian Coast g uard’s recent achievements, acknowle dging the force’s significant progress i n strengthening coastal security infrastru cture, enhancing inter-agency coordind dination, and implementing cutting-edg e technologies. They commended the I CG’s proactive role in safeguarding Ind dia’s 11,098 km coastline and ensuring the security of vital maritime trade rou tes.

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MJS/RMP/SM/43