The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) conducted a two-day conjoined Coastal Security Exercise, ‘Sagar Kavach-02, 2024,’ for the states of West Bengal and Odisha on 25-26 September 2024. This exercise, held under the aegis of Coast Guard Region (North East), aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and resilience of the coastal security framework in responding to asymmetric threats from the sea.
The exercise involved a comprehensive deployment of assets from the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, and various coastal security agencies, including State and Marine Police, Customs, Fisheries, Port Authorities, CISF, and Intelligence agencies. These forces collectively augmented surveillance across the coastal regions of both states, ensuring a robust security posture throughout the exercise period.
Enhanced security measures were instituted, including extensive aerial surveillance, to monitor the maritime environment and detect any potential threats. The real-time simulated scenarios presented during the exercise phase were designed to test and validate the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for coastal security, ensuring all participating agencies could respond effectively to any contingency.
The exercise showcased exceptional coordination and synergy among all maritime security stakeholders, highlighting the strength of the integrated approach to coastal defense. The lessons learned during ‘Sagar Kavach-02/24’ will be meticulously analyzed and incorporated to further bolster the coastal security architecture of the nation.
The successful execution of ‘Sagar Kavach-02/24’ reaffirms the Indian Coast Guard’s commitment to safeguarding India’s maritime interests and ensuring the security of its coastal regions.
Defence Spokesman of Eastern region, Wing Commander Himanshu Tiwari stated this in a release.
