Seminar on maritime security to dwell on post-26/11 measures

Mumbai, Jan 18 (PTI) Senior officials of Central, Stategovernments and other maritime security agencies will beparticipating in a two-day seminar on maritime security beingorganised here by the Western Naval Command to deliberate onfuture challenges post 26/11 attacks.

The officials participating will represent nine coastalstates and four Union Territories in which the coastalsecurity organisation has been revamped after the Mumbaiterror strikes, a Defence spokesperson said today.

The seminar, being held on January 20-21 at the INHSAsvini auditorium in Colaba area, is an initiative to improveinter agency co-ordination, increase interaction and exchangeof ideas amongst all stakeholders of coastal security formeeting future challenges, he said.

After the 26/11 attacks, the Central Government hasdesignated the Indian Navy as the lead agency for maritimesecurity including coastal security. The Navy and the CoastGuard have initiated several measures to improve the securityof the coastline.

Both the organisations have adopted a synergisticapproach with other stakeholders of coastal security to worktowards establishing an effective mechanism for improvingcoastal security and preventing a repeat of such incidents.

Participants representing central and state governmentministries and departments are participating in the seminar.

These include senior bureaucrats of the Ministry of Home,Shipping, Ports, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mnistry ofEnvironment and Forest, security agencies like the IndianCoast Guard, Police, and CISF. .

Intelligence agencies such as the IB and state intelligence would also participate in the event.

The seminar is being conducted in three sessions whichinclude ''Sharing of perspectives of Coastal security of themajor stakeholders and future Challenges'', ''The Challenges ofcapacity building, and improving capabilities of coastalsecurity forces'' and ''Challenges of Intelligence sharing''. PTIVT DK DK