Govt to spare no efforts in strengthening Coast Guard: Antony

On Board ICGS Sagar, Somewhere in the Arabian Sea, Feb 18 (UNI) The Government will spare no efforts in further strengthening the Indian Coast Guard assigned the task of keeping secure India's coastal areas and its Exclusive Economic Zone in the face of increasing security needs of the country, Defence Minister AK Antony assured today.

Talking to mediapersons on board the Indian Coast Guard Ship 'Sagar' from which he reviewed the Coast Guard fleet earlier in the day -- some 40 kms from Goa, in the Arabian Sea, the Defence Minister pointed to the increasing need for maintaining "constant vigil" along the 7,516-KM-long coastline of the country and inside its 2.02 million sq Km EEZ to counter increased threats of not only smuggling but global terrorism also.

For this, he observed, the Coast Guard had to develop "deep water capability" by adding more ships with a larger displacement and more tonnage. "More ways and means will have to be found to cater to the expansion plans of the service like streamlining of procedures at the existing shipyards and going in for more private shipbuilders." "And, in this, the government would not be found wanting we shall spare no efforts to provide the wherewithal whether the Coast Guard or the Indian Navy", the Defence Minister asserted.

Earlier in the day, Minister Antony had over more than three hours reviewed the Coast Guard fleet during which he witnessed the wide canvas of the activities of this Armed Force of the Union which celebrates its 30th Anniversary this year.

On display were multifarious activities of the Coast Guard including pollution control at sea, search and rescue (SAR) and regular surveillance in order to prevent poaching/ smuggling and other illegal activities in the Indian EEZ.

A total of 15 Coast Guard ships -- Advance Offshore Patrol Vessels (AOPVs), OPVs, Fast and Extra-Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs and XFPVs), Interceptor Boats and an Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV or Hovercraft) -- besides Dornier Aircraft and Chetak Helicopters took part in the enthralling show on the high seas that also left the Defence Minister "excited".

The exercise displayed the Pollution response capability of the Coast Guard; Search and Rescue operations and Casualty Evacuation; High-speed Manoeuvres by various categories of ships and hovercraft; Surface and Aerial Firing Capabilities of the Coast Guard surface and air assets; and External Fire Fighting capabilities at sea.

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