Question : Coastal Security

(a) the total number of defence personnel deployed in the Indian Coast Guard;

(b) the total number of security threats detected by the Indian Coast Guard during the last three years and the current year;

(c) whether the Government has identified spots or areas along the coastline of the country to strengthen coastal security and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government proposes to establish Marine Commissionarate to safeguard coastal cities like Mumbai from terrorist attacks; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and other steps taken / being taken by the Government to increase the surveillance of coastal areas to meet the security threats?

MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI MANOHAR PARRIKAR)

(a) The Indian Coast Guard has a total strength of 11,474 Personnel in various ranks.

(b) The ICG acts on actionable inputs provided by various national and state intelligence agencies. Based on these inputs ICG conducted 120 operations from 1st January 2012 to 15th July 2015.

(c) The Government, after conducting the vulnerability/gap analysis along the coastline of the coastal States/Union Territories, has formulated a Coastal Security Scheme (CSS) with a view to strengthen security of the coastline of the country. Under Phase-I of the CSS, a total number of 73 Coastal Police Stations, 97 Check-Posts, 58 Out-Posts and 30 Barracks were established in all the coastal States/UTs. Similarly, 131 Coastal Police Stations, 60 Jetties and 10 Marine Operation Centers have been sanctioned to all the coastal States/UTs under Phase-II of the CSS.

(d) & (e): No such proposal is under consideration. However, Government attaches utmost importance to nation’s coastal security and surveillance. Review and monitoring of coastal security mechanism is a continuous process. Several measures to strengthen Coastal Security, including improving surveillance mechanism and enhanced patrolling by security agencies following an integrated approach have been put in place. Joint operational exercises are conducted on regular basis among Navy, Coast Guard, Coastal Police, customs and others. The intelligence mechanism has been streamlined through the creation of Joint Operation Centers and multi-agency coordination mechanism. Installation of radars covering the country’s coastline and islands is also an essential part of this process. Deployment of assets is done as per threat inputs/perceptions and requirements. The Coast Guard has been adequately equipped to face the challenges of national security and the role assigned to it by the Government.

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