NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said operational preparedness, adaptability and swift response must form the cornerstone of the Indian Coast Guard’s vision as “warfare is now measured in hours and seconds, with satellites, drones, and sensors redefining the nature of conflict.”
“What were once predictable patterns of smuggling or piracy have now evolved into sophisticated operations using GPS spoofing, remote-controlled boats, encrypted communications, drones, satellite phones, and even networks operating on the dark web,” he said at a three-day coast guard conference, stressing that maritime threats are becoming increasingly technology-driven and multi-dimensional.
The coast guard commanders’ conference brings together the service’s top brass to deliberate on strategic, operational, and administrative priorities in the backdrop of evolving maritime security challenges and the growing strategic significance of the vast Indian Ocean region, where the challenges include China’s carefully calculated power play for influence and defending the rules-based international order.
Terrorist organisations, he warned, exploit modern tools such as digital mapping and real-time intelligence to plan their activities.
“Traditional methods are no longer sufficient; we must be ahead of criminals and adversaries by integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning-based surveillance, drones, cyber defence systems, and automated response mechanisms into our maritime security framework.”
{{/usCountry}}“Traditional methods are no longer sufficient; we must be ahead of criminals and adversaries by integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning-based surveillance, drones, cyber defence systems, and automated response mechanisms into our maritime security framework.”
{{/usCountry}}The defence minister urged the coast guard to develop a futuristic roadmap for 2047 that anticipates new challenges, integrates cutting-edge technologies, and continuously adapts strategies.
“A smuggling vessel may look like a fishing boat, a terrorist group may exploit the openness of the sea, and threats may emerge invisibly. Maritime security is far more complex and unpredictable than land borders and demands constant vigilance,” he said.
Cyber and electronic warfare, he said, are no longer hypothetical threats but present-day realities. “A nation may attempt to paralyse our systems not with missiles, but through hacking, cyber-attacks, and electronic jamming. The coast guard must continuously adapt and upgrade its training and equipment to guard against such threats.”
Describing the coast guard as a vital pillar of national security, Singh said it had the unique mandate of operating at the intersection of external and internal security. While the armed forces focus on defending external threats and other agencies handle internal security, the coast guard seamlessly straddles both spheres, Singh stressed.
“By patrolling the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the coast guard not only deters external threats but also addresses illegal fishing, drug and arms trafficking, smuggling, human trafficking, marine pollution, and irregular maritime activities.” Every coastal country’s EEZ extends to 200 nautical miles from its shores, and it has exclusive rights to all resources in those waters, including oil, natural gas and fish.
Instability in neighbouring countries often spills into the maritime domain, Singh said, citing developments in Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, and other nations that impact coastal security — especially in the Bay of Bengal — through refugee influx, illegal migration, and irregular maritime activities. He urged the coast guard to maintain not just routine surveillance but also geopolitical awareness and readiness to respond swiftly to external developments.
Linking maritime security directly with India’s economic well-being, Singh underscored that ports, shipping lanes, and energy infrastructure are lifelines of the nation’s economy. “A disruption in maritime trade, whether physical or cybe,r can have cascading effects on security and economy alike. We must treat national security and economic security as one and the same.”
He hailed the coast guard’s role in multi-agency coordination with the navy, state administrations, and other security agencies. “The seamless manner in which the coast guard works in real time with civil administration and other forces strengthens the entire national security architecture. You are no longer just a security provider, you are a true force multiplier.”