NEW DELHI: Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar (Retd) has been appointed as the National Maritime Security Coordinator (NMSC) within the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) under National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Vice Admiral Kumar recently retired from the post of Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.
As the NMSC, Vice-Admiral Kumar will be entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating between the various ministries and agencies related to maritime matters. The post of maritime coordinator was proposed by the Group of Ministers formed after the Kargil conflict. The need was felt after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks post which the significance of the maritime security including those involving the scattered Indian Island territories was realised.
Eventually, the Cabinet Committee on Security cleared the post of NMSC in November 2021.
The post of the NMSC is the second to the Military Advisor’s post created to bring in inputs related to military matters. The post of Military Advisor was created in 2011 with Lt Gen Anil Chauhan holding the charge at present.
The NSCS is headed by the NSA who is also the secretary to the apex National Security Council headed by the Prime Minister.
Vice-Admiral Kumar retired as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff in July 2021. An alumnus of Sainik School, Amravathinagar, he was Commissioned in the executive branch of the Indian Navy in 1982.
India has a coastline of 7516.6 kilometers which includes 1382 islands spread out. India’s Exclusive Economic Zone is spread out in 2.3 million square kilometers.