KOCHI: Sagar Kavach, the three-day comprehensive coastal security exercise, involving all coastal security-related agencies came to an end on Thursday. It was conducted by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) off the coasts of Kerala, Mahe and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.Rear Admiral R J Nadkarni, Chief of Staff, reviewed the progress of the exercise on Wednesday at the Joint Operations Centre, Kochi. It was attended by representatives of participating agencies.
More than 75 ships, Fast Interceptor Craft, patrol boats of the Coast Guard, Navy, Coastal Police, Customs, Fisheries and other coastal security agencies participated in the exercise and undertook round-the-clock patrolling. All radar stations under Remote Operating Station, Kochi, were extensively used for monitoring the movements of vessels operating in the area. Extensive aerial surveillance was also mounted by Naval and Coast Guard aircraft to detect vessels being used by the 'opposing force' for carrying out ‘attacks’.
As many as 14 Coastal Security Exercises have been conducted by ICG along the coast of Kerala and Lakshadweep Islands since 2009 which were necessitated due to the increased focus on coastal security after the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008. The exercise was conducted by DIG Neeraj Tiwari, the Commander, Coast Guard District no 4 (COMDIS- 4), based at Fort Kochi.