Defence Minister A.K. Antony
Thursday set a two-month deadline for the maritime security agencies to
get security radars along India's 7,500-km coastline in place.
At
a meeting with the defence ministry top brass as well as the navy and
the coast guard chiefs here to review the coastal security apparatus,
Antony also reviewed the timely delivery of 80 Fast Interceptor Craft
ordered from a Sri Lankan firm and implementation of a communication
network for the eastern coastline.
"The defence minister reviewed
the progress on various steps taken to enhance the coastal security in
the country. He directed that the first phase of the coastal radar
network, on both the west and east coast should be completed in the next
two months," a defence ministry release said here.
Antony will
be visiting some of the radar locations in the next two months,
particularly those on the western coast in Maharashtra and Gujarat that
are to be inaugurated.
The two-phase coastal radar network, which
will be a chain of radars all along the Indian coastline, is an
important component of the coastal security mechanism, which will ensure
monitoring and identification of maritime traffic.
Navy chief
Admiral Nirmal Verma, Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma, Defence
Production Secretary Shekhar Agarwal, Coast Guard chief Vice Admiral
M.P. Muralidharan were among those present at the meet.
Addressing
the officers, Antony emphasised that all stakeholders in maritime
security should work with "unified purpose" and ensure that there are no
gaps in the coastal security framework.
He also directed that time-bound actions be taken to ensure a full-proof coastal security system.
"The
government is fully committed to modernise navy and coast guard as well
as assist state governments to undertake any challenges to our coastal
security," he said.
He also urged the state governments to be equal partners on the important national security issue.
The
defence ministry has already approved the proposals of the navy and
the coast guard to increase their fleet strength and manpower
progressively to meet the growing security requirements.
Antony,
at the meeting, desired to meet again on coastal security immediately
after the ensuing monsoon session of parliament session with
representatives of other central government ministries and agencies,
who are part of the coastal security mechanism.
The government
already has an high-level committee - National Committee on
Strengthening of Maritime and Coastal Security - against threats from
the sea under the chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth. The
committee has chief secretaries of coastal states as members to ensure a
better coordination in the area of coastal security.
"The
delivery time schedules of supply of fast interceptor craft,
implementation of National Command Control Communication and
Intelligence Network, and Vessels and Air Traffic Management System on
the east coast were also reviewed in the meeting," the release said.
