India, Pak Coast Guards to liaise on hotline

Kozhikode, May 25 (UNI) A permanent hotline between Coast Guards of India and Pakistan will be set up by next month as part of the efforts to improve relations between both countries, Indian Coast Guard Director General Prabhakaran Paleri said today.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect has already been signed and the top brass of the two forces would hold discussions on various issues, he told reporters after commissioning the Coast Guard station at Beyore here.

Dr Paleri said he would also hold a flag meeting with the Chief of the Pakistan Maritime Agency, the counterpart of the Indian Coast Guard.

The date of the meeting would be finalised soon, he said.

He said the government was in the process of formulating a maritime police force to effectively patrol the coastal lines in the country.

The Cabinet Committee on Security has accorded approval for the formation of the force, which will be under the administrative control of the coastline states, he said.

On procurement of vessels, he said the CG was interested in acquiring the Multi-mission Unmanned Aerial Vehicle 'Nishant' developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Describing 'Nishant' as cheapest and cost effective, he said the UAV was basically built for the Army for land reconnaissance and the Coast Guard needed it for sea and shore survillance.

The DRDO, which had carried out the 106 test flights of Nishant here on May 23, would be asked to incorporate necessary changes in the UAV to meet the Coast Guards' requirement, he said.

However, he refused to specify the number of aircraft, which the Coat Guard was planning to acquire.

The Coast Guard, which had 63 vessels, small and large, would acquire 54 more vessels and some more aircraft by next year, he said.

Coast Guard Inspector General A Rajasekhar, TM, Commander Coast Guard Region (West), DIG K Balasubramaniam, Commander Coas Guard Kerala and Lakshadweep and many other senior defence and civilian officials were present.

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