India's winding coastline is vulnerable to "illegal cross border activities", the government has said.
According to Minister of State for Home R.P.N. Singh, this was so due to the absence of physical barriers on the coast and the presence of vital industrial and defence installations near the coastline.
He told the Lok Sabha Tuesday that India's winding coast presented a slew of security concerns.
These, he said in a statement, included infiltration and exit of anti-national elements, use of shore islands for criminal activities, as well as smuggling of consumer and intermediate goods.
The minister said a multi-tier arrangement was in place for maritime security involving the Indian Navy, Coast Guard and marine police of the coastal states and union territories.