New Delhi, the Indian coastist is in the process of incorporating pilot aircraft and unmanned air vehicles from far away to enhance its surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence abilities, Director General Parmesh Shivamani.
In a recorded podcast shared online by the Ministry of Defense on Sunday, he said the second phase of the coastal monitoring network project is on Envil and should be on “by the end of this year”.
Shivmani shared the development of the ICG launched in 1978, which was currently for a significant force multiplier of the defense forces.
In its establishment, two ships from the Indian Navy were given to the Coast Guard. Now, ICG has about 205 ships and crafts of different sizes, and 78 aircraft, including both fixed-wing and rotary-wing, DG said.
He also talked about back-to-back maritime disasters in Indian water recently, including Singapore-Flagd Merchant Wastra MV Van Hai 503 Catching firing, and Liberian container vessel MSC Elsa 3 in May and the ICG made rescue efforts by MSC Elsa 3.
The ICG tried to ensure that there was no harm to the maritime ecosystem, he said.
Asked how the ICG is strengthening itself to increase 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 incorporating state -of -the -art ships with state -of -the -art technology. Similarly, for the aircraft, which will be a force multiplier for us. We are also in the process of including RPA and UAV, which will increase monitoring and reconnaissance, and more than the intelligence collecting patient domains.”
The coastal monitoring network of the ICG – Step 1, currently, “46 radar stations, which are completely operational”.
“Charan 2 is also on Evil, we have 38 radar stations, which should be turned on by the end of this year,” he said.
The apex official stated that the ICG has 14 hovercrafts that are strategically laid along the Indian coastline, adding, these are versatile platforms that are used to monitor the areas of creeks or shallow water.
He was also asked whether the ICG had increased his preparations in view of Operation Sindoor.
“We have a lot of Coast Guard stations and district headquarters, which are strategically located along our shores. Therefore, during the deployment of ships, we ensure that the logistics is sufficiently dressed in terms of logistics, including the requirements to maintain a ship in the sea, whether it is fuel, ration, water, and this is maintained, and this is maintained,” said Safamani.
“Whenever a ship returns to a port to fill again, these items are easily available, and they can be started rapidly on the ship, so that the ship can make a quick operational change and then go back to its patrol areas,” the DG said.
In the podcast organized by the ministry, he said, “We are firmly with the vision of the Government of Self -reliant India.”
He recalled the recent launch of indigenous ships such as ICGS ‘Atal’ and ‘Samudra Prachet’, and underlined the vision of force for the future with the safety dynamics of the Indian Ocean region and became more complicated by the day.
‘Atal’, the sixth in a series of eight state -of -the -art indigenously designed rapid patrol ships, was being built by Goa Shipyard Limited for the Indian coast guard, launched in July.
‘Samuda Prachet’, the second pollution control vessel, designed by Goa Shipyard Limited, was also launched by the Coast Guard in a quick and effectively, to help responding to the spread of oil in the Indian exclusive economic field.
The DG has also mentioned the “Digital Coast Guard Project” that wants to expand its digital footprint.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without amending the text.
