• The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) celebrates its 45th Raising Day on February 1, 2021.

• ICG came into existence on February 1, 1977 with two frigates and five patrol boats transferred from the Indian Navy and. It was formally instituted on August 19, 1978. 

• Since its inception, the service has acquired a wide range of capabilities, both surface and airborne, to undertake the assigned tasks during peace time and to supplement the efforts of the Indian Navy.

• From a modest beginning with just seven surface platforms, the ICG has grown into a formidable force with 156 ships and 62 aircraft in its inventory and is likely to achieve targeted force levels of 200 surface platforms and 80 aircraft by 2025.

• As the fourth largest coast guard in the world, ICG has played a significant role in securing the coasts and enforcing regulations within the maritime zones of India. 

• The ICG seized contraband worth Rs 1,500 crore and 10 illegal foreign fishing boats with 80 miscreants in the Indian exclusive economic zone in 2020.

Indian Coast Guard

• Indian Navy has been designated as the authority responsible for overall maritime security including coastal and offshore security. Indian Navy is assisted by Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Coastal Police and other central and state agencies.

• ICG is a multi-mission organisation, conducting round-the-year operations at sea. Despite being relatively small, it has a wide range of task capabilities for both surface and air operations.

• A charter of duties is laid down in Coast Guard Act, 1978. 

• ICG is also designated as an authority responsible for coastal security in Territorial Waters including areas to be patrolled by Coastal Police. 

• The Director General of ICG has been designated as Commander Coastal Command and is responsible for overall coordination between central and state agencies in all matters relating to coastal security. 

• The Coast Guard Headquarters (CGHQ) is located in New Delhi. For effective command and control, the maritime zones of India are divided into five Coast Guard regions — North-West, West, East, North-East and Andaman & Nicobar, with the respective regional headquarters located at Gandhinagar, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Port Blair.

Duties of Indian Coast Guard include:

• Ensure safety and protection of artificial islands, offshore terminals and other installations.

• Protection and assistance to fishermen and mariners at sea.

• Preservation and protection of marine ecology and environment including pollution control.

• Assistance to the Department of Customs and other authorities in anti-smuggling operations.

• Law enforcement in territorial as well as international waters.

• Scientific data collection and support.

• National defence during hostilities (under the operational control of the Indian Navy).

• True to its motto “Vayam Rakshamah”, meaning “We Protect”, Indian Coast Guard has to its credit of saving over 10,000 lives and apprehending around 14,000 miscreants since inception in 1977. Indian Coast Guard saves one life every second day at sea. 

• The deterrence created by the Indian Coast Guard is not limited to the Indian waters, but collaboration with friendly littoral states as per provisions of bilateral cooperation agreements resulted in successful apprehension and seizure of drugs in Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The real time information sharing, close coordination and understanding between ICG and other international agencies have been the highlights of these operations.

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