The term maritime security is defined as comprising those issues which pertain to the sea and have a critical bearing on the country’s security. The threats are of Traditional and Non-traditional (Pirates, Climate Change, Smuggling) types.
Issues in Maritime Security:-
- Multi-level structure: There are approximately 15 agencies involved in various facets of coastal security that lead to inadequate utilization of resources, overlapping jurisdiction.
- Structural Gap: Sufficient attention has not been paid to provide police stations with essential requirements.
- Technology: The latest audit showed only about 1,000 vessels were actually equipped with the tracking facility.
- Domestic industrial base: There is a lack of industrial base to reduce the demand for security related equipment.
- Absence of a comprehensive policy formulation mechanism:- There is no coordinating body which could formulate national strategies for countering existing and emergent threats.
- Discontent in fishermen communities:- Growing discontent among them due to the loss of their ‘traditional’ fishing harbors to sensitive and strategic establishments like naval bases, coast guard headquarters, etc.
Recent Steps Taken
- India has signed the agreement to the Trans Regional Maritime Network (TRMN). The network facilitates information exchange on the movement of commercial traffic on the high seas.
- Indian Ocean Naval Symposium is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral states.
- Indian access to port DUQM in Oman for military use and Logistical support.
- Developing Andaman & Nicobar which is located at just 90 kms from Malacca strait to irritate China’s Malacca Dilemma.
- The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is the first tri-services command in the country where officers and men from all three services.
- Strengthen patrolling mechanism near Sir creek to check Pakistani infiltration.
All steps were taken in consonance with India’s Maritime strategy to improve our maritime security.