The two-day exercise – Operation Sea Vigil – was simultaneously undertaken on the eastern and western coast to check coastal safety measures put into place after the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. Only half the boats are available when required and policemen posted to the state maritime police wings get shifted after two to three years. The third official, who is also involved in analysing Operation Sea Vigil, blamed lack of adequate training, motivation and non-availability of boats with state maritime police wings for the success of mock attacks. Just as the Navy painstakingly rebuilt itself after Independence, a similar single-minded effort is needed to build the state maritime police forces. “Just shifting the Coast Guard from one ministry to another, in my opinion, will not solve the problem,” he said reacting to the proposal of shifting the Coast Guard from the ministry of defence to the MHA.

Source: Hindustan Times May 08, 2019 01:53 UTC