Trap: Confusing the 'Indian Coast Guard' (a statutory force under Ministry of Defence, responsible for maritime security within 200 nm EEZ) with the 'Indian Navy' (responsible for national security beyond the EEZ). The Coast Guard is called the 'Guardian of the Coast' — it leads coastal security in peacetime; the Navy is the overall maritime force.
Most confused: The difference between 'Coastal Security Scheme' (Phase I — 2005; Phase II — 2011; focuses on coastal police stations, boats, and infrastructure) and 'Coastal Surveillance Network' (radar-based electronic surveillance — the Sagar Prahari Bal and chain of static radars).
Key anchor: The 26/11 Mumbai attacks (2008) exposed India's coastal security vulnerability — the terrorists entered Mumbai via the Arabian Sea. Post-26/11, India overhauled its coastal security framework, creating the 'Coastal Security Scheme' and establishing the 'Indian Coast Guard' as the single-point authority for coastal security (previously, multiple agencies operated without coordination).
Current affairs hook: The increasing piracy threat in the Indian Ocean (Somali piracy resurgence, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea affecting Indian shipping, drone attacks on maritime targets); the 'Sagar Parakram' naval exercise; the 'Coastal Security Exercise' conducted annually by the Indian Navy; the India-Maldives-Sri Lanka trilateral maritime cooperation; the expansion of the Indian Navy's strength.
Mains hinge: Coastal security is best answered through the 'layered security' framework — (a) seaward defence (Navy, Coast Guard — high seas), (b) coastal patrol (Coast Guard, Coastal Police — near shore), (c) on-shore security (local police, intelligence — land-side). The 'gap' that 26/11 exposed was between layers (b) and (c).
Core Concept
India's coastline extends 7,516 km — 5,422 km on the mainland and 2,094 km in the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands. Nine states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal) and two UTs (Daman & Diu/Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Puducherry) have coastal jurisdictions. The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers 2.37 million sq km.
Threats to Coastal Security
Cross-border terrorism: The 26/11 Mumbai attacks (2008) remain the paradigmatic example. 10 terrorists from Pakistan used maritime infiltration, hijacking an Indian fishing trawler (MV Kuber), entering Mumbai via the Arabian Sea. The attack exposed gaps in coastal surveillance, intelligence sharing, and inter-agency coordination.
Smuggling: Arms and narcotics smuggling through the Arabian Sea (the 'Gulf route' from Pakistan/Iran to Gujarat) and the Bay of Bengal (Myanmar-India route). The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Coast Guard regularly intercept vessels carrying heroin (from Afghanistan via the Maritime Silk Route).
Illegal fishing: Frequent incidents of Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani fishing vessels crossing the maritime boundary. While primarily a livelihood issue, illegal fishing vessels can be used for smuggling or intelligence gathering.
Infiltration: Both the 'land border' and 'sea border' infiltration routes are used. Coastal states, especially Gujarat, have been used as infiltration routes for terrorists.
Piracy: While the Indian Ocean is the global hotspot for piracy, Indian territorial waters and EEZ have been relatively secure. However, the resurgence of Somali piracy (2023-24) and the Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping affect India's maritime trade and require naval escort missions (Operation Sankalp).
Climate-related threats: Sea-level rise and extreme weather events (cyclones — Tauktae, Yaas, Amphan) challenge the 'secure coastline' assumption — climate change is both a security and a humanitarian concern.
Coastal Security Framework
Post-26/11 Reforms:
The 26/11 attack led to a comprehensive overhaul:
Designation of Indian Coast Guard as single-point authority for coastal security (October 2008)
Creation of the Coastal Security Scheme (CSS) in 2005 (Phase I) and 2011 (Phase II)
Establishment of Joint Operations Centres (JOCs) at Mumbai (Western Naval Command), Kochi (Southern), Vishakhapatnam (Eastern), and Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar) for inter-agency coordination
Sagar Prahari Bal (SPB): A dedicated force under the Navy for coastal security — stationed at major naval bases
Mandatory biometric identification of all fishermen and registration of fishing vessels
Coastal Security Scheme (CSS):
Phase I (2005-2011) : ₹400 crore — Set up 73 coastal police stations, 20 check posts, 30 outposts, provided 78 interceptor boats and 156 jeeps
Phase II (2011-2022) : ₹1,580 crore — Expanded to 131 coastal police stations, 60 check posts, 97 outposts, 204 boats, 308 vehicles; added 8 helicopters and 10 surveillance radars for the Coast Guard
Phase II covered: 9 coastal states, 4 UTs, and 14 coastal districts
Maritime Security Agencies:
Indian Navy: Maritime security; 'Overall responsibility' for India's maritime security (designated lead agency in 2014)
Indian Coast Guard: Coastal security (lead agency since 2008); Search and Rescue; Pollution control; Anti-smuggling
Coastal Police: Under state governments — day-to-day coastal patrolling, fishing vessel registration
Customs / DRI: Anti-smuggling operations
Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB): Drug trafficking interception
Intelligence Bureau (IB) and RAW: Intelligence-led operations
Coastal Surveillance Network (CSN)
The CSN is a chain of static radars, cameras, and sensors along the coastline, linked to a central command centre. Phase I (2014-20) covered 36 locations; Phase II (ongoing) will cover all 51 identified radar locations. The system provides real-time maritime domain awareness — identifying and tracking all vessels within 75 km of the coast (including small fishing vessels). The CSN is integrated with the 'Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC)' at Gurugram — India's maritime intelligence fusion centre.
Challenges
State capacity variation: Coastal states have uneven capacity — Gujarat and Kerala have relatively strong coastal police; West Bengal and Odisha lag behind.
Fishing vessel identification: India has ~2.5 lakh fishing vessels — only a fraction have biometric ID and GPS tracking. The 'fishermen-to-terrorist' swap threat (terrorists using stolen fishing boats) remains.
Inter-agency coordination: Multiple agencies (Navy, Coast Guard, Coastal Police, Customs, Intelligence) operate in the same space. Despite JOCs and IMAC, coordination issues persist — the 'Navy vs Coast Guard' turf issue is a known challenge.
Bangladesh-Myanmar maritime border: The southern Bay of Bengal remains porous — smuggling of arms, narcotics, and human trafficking across this route is a concern.
Resource constraints: The Coast Guard operates ~150 vessels and ~62 aircraft against an ideal strength of 200+ vessels. The Maritime Capability Perspective Plan (MCPP) envisages growth, but gaps remain.
Key Facts
India's coastline: 7,516 km (mainland: 5,422 km; islands: 2,094 km)
EEZ: 2.37 million sq km (larger than India's land area)