Indian, Pak Coast Guards to establish hotline
A hotline will be established between the commanders of the Coast Guards of India and Pakistan for better understanding.
A hotline will be established between the commanders of the Coast Guards of India and Pakistan for better understanding, Coast Guard Director General P Prabhakaran Paleri said on Thursday.
"We already have well-knit communication and the understanding will become better through the establishment of hotline between the two Coast Guards," he said while commissioning the 21st Coast Guard station, second of its kind in Kerala, at Beypore near Kozhikode.
Noting that extremist activities caused by infiltration were carried out mainly through land and not through the sea, he said with the installation of the hotline between both the Coast Guard Director Generals, problems, if any, between the two countries, would be diluted.
On Unmanned Aerial Vehicle `Nishant', manufactured by the Aeronautical Development Establishment, Bangalore, Paleri said the Coast Guard was keen to acquire the aircraft to intensify its maritime surveillance over the country borders.
"However, we may have to get it modified for civilian applications as it has been presently designed to suit Army requirements," he said.
The Centre was also considering the Coast Guard's proposal of launching `marine police' which will be deployed in coastal areas.
If implemented, such a force would come under the control of state Governments to assist in sea surveillance, he added.
