Maritime & Coastal Security

UPSC Mains PYQs

Maritime Security Initiatives (2014): "What are the maritime security challenges in India? Discuss the organizational, technical and procedural initiatives taken to improve the maritime security." (15 Marks, 250 Words)
Coastal porous borders (2018): "How far are India's internal security challenges linked with border management, particularly in view of the long porous borders with most countries of South Asia and Myanmar?" (15 Marks, 250 Words)

📊 High-Yield Data & Statistical Fact Sheet

Coastal Geography & Strategic Assets:
- Coastline Length: 7,516.6 km (5,422 km mainland, 2,094 km islands) traversing 9 States and 4 UTs.
- Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): Massive 2.01 Million Sq. km area under protection.
- Seaborne Trade dependency: Accounts for 90% by volume and 70% by value of India's total trade.
- Andaman & Nicobar (A&N) EEZ share: Contributes 30% of India's overall EEZ despite comprising only 0.2% of its landmass.
- Coast Guard Capacity: Fleet expanded to 160+ surface vessels and 75+ aircraft for continuous coastal patrolling.

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1. MARITIME & COASTAL THREAT FRONTIERS

Maritime Terrorism: Use of sea routes for launching domestic terror operations (e.g., the 26/11 Mumbai attacks). Vulnerabilities include offshore oil platforms, nuclear installations near coasts, and crowded minor ports.
Transnational Smuggling & Narco-Terrorism: Maritime corridors (e.g., the "Makran Coast" route) used to smuggle arms, explosives, and high-value narcotics to fund organized terror modules.
Asymmetric/Grey-Zone Threats: Use of Chinese deep-sea fishing trawlers and ocean research vessels (dual-use intelligence gatherers) to map India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and maritime choke points.
Jurisdictional Conflicts: Complex division of responsibility among local Marine Police, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), and the Indian Navy has historically led to security coordination gaps.

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Three-Tier Security Architecture:
- 0 to 12 Nautical Miles (Territorial Sea): Guarded by State Marine Police (coastal police stations utilizing light interceptor boats).
- 12 to 200 Nautical Miles (Contiguous & EEZ): Guarded by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
- Beyond 200 Nautical Miles (High Seas): Nodal responsibility of the Indian Navy (designated as the authority for overall maritime security).
Joint Operations Centres (JOCs): Co-located command and control hubs established at Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, and Port Blair, linking all surveillance agencies.
National Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence (NC3I) Network: Links a chain of coastal static radars, Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders on commercial vessels, and optical sensors into a unified maritime picture.
Information Fusion Centre - Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR): Gurugram-based nodal information center tracking merchant vessel movements (White Shipping data) and sharing real-time maritime security data with partner nations across the Indian Ocean.

Chokepoint Dominance: Located near the mouth of the Strait of Malacca, through which ~30% of global trade and ~80% of China's energy imports pass. The islands act as a geopolitical counter-weight to Chinese naval expansions (the "String of Pearls").
Tri-Service Theater Command: Hosts India's first and only operational Tri-Service Command (ANC), integrating Army, Navy, and Air Force capabilities under a unified commander.
Anti-Submarine Outpost: Serves as a forward base for long-range maritime patrol aircraft (P-8I Poseidon) to monitor foreign submarine activity in the Bay of Bengal.

Overall Nodal Command for Maritime Security: Indian Navy.
0-12 Nautical Miles Police: State Marine Police.
12-200 Nautical Miles Patrol: Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
NC3I Hub & Nodal White Shipping Tracker: IFC-IOR (Gurugram).
Tri-Service Command Location: Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Command).
Major Indian Ocean Chokepoint: Strait of Malacca (Six-Degree Channel).
Coastal Sentinel Groups: Sagar Suraksha Dals (local fishermen networks).

Notes updated up to March 2026. Sources: Indian Navy Maritime Security Strategy, MHA Reports.