Indian Coast Guard to induct RPAs, UAVs to boost maritime surveillance capabilities: DG
In a recorded podcast, shared by the defence ministry online on Sunday, he said the second phase of the Coastal Surveillance Network project is on the anvil and it should get operational "by the end of this year".
Sivamani shared the evolution of the ICG, started in 1978, to an important force multiplier of the defence forces at present.
At its inception, two ships decommissioned from the Indian Navy were given to the Coast Guard. Now, the ICG has about 205 ships and crafts of various sizes, and 78 aircraft, which include both fixed-wing and rotary-wing ones, the DG said.
He also spoke of the recent back-to-back maritime disasters in the Indian waters, including the Singapore-flagged merchant vessel MV Wan Hai 503 catching fire in June, and the Liberian container vessel MSC ELSA 3 sinking off Kerala's Kochi coast in May, and the rescue efforts made by the ICG.
The ICG tried to ensure there was no damage to the maritime ecosystem, he said.
Asked how the ICG is strengthening itself to enhance its operational readiness, he said the force has ships and aircraft of various sizes and various capabilities.
"As a forward-looking coast guard, we are also inducting state-of-the-art ships with cutting-edge technology. Similarly for aircraft, which will be a force multiplier for us. We are also in the process of inducting RPAs and UAVs, which will enhance the surveillance and reconnaissance, and intelligence gathering for us over the maritime domain," he said.
The ICG's Coastal Surveillance Network - phase 1, at present, has "46 radar stations, which are fully operational".
"Phase 2 is also on the anvil, we have 38 radar stations , which should get operational by the end of this year," he said.
The top officer said the ICG has 14 hovercrafts which are strategically placed along the Indian coastline, adding, these are versatile platforms which are used for surveillance over creeks or shallow water areas.
He was also asked if the ICG has enhanced its preparedness in the wake of Operation Sindoor.
"We have a lot of coast guard stations and district headquarters, which are strategically located along our coasts. So, during ships' deployment, we ensure there is enough wherewithal in terms of logistics, which includes requirements to sustain a ship at sea, whether it is fuel, rations, water, and these are stocked and well maintained," Sivamani said.
"So that whenever a ship comes back to a port to replenish, these items are readily available, and they can be expeditiously embarked on the ship, so that the ship can do a quick operational turnaround and thereafter go back to their patrol areas," the DG said.
In the podcast hosted by the ministry, he asserted that, "We are firmly with the government's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat."
He recalled the recent launch of indigenous vessels like ICGS 'Atal' and 'Samudra Prachet', and underlined the force's vision for a future with the Indian Ocean Region's security dynamics growing more complex by the day.
'Atal', the sixth in a series of eight state-of-the-art indigenously designed Fast Patrol Vessels being constructed for the Indian Coast Guard by the Goa Shipyard Limited, was launched in July.
'Samudra Prachet', the second pollution control vessel, designed by the Goa Shipyard Limited to help the Coast Guard respond to oil spills in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone quickly and effectively, was also launched in July.
The DG also mentioned the "digital coast guard project" that seeks to expand its digital footprint.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
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