Coastal and Maritime Security
India, with a 7,516 km long coastline, 2.02 million sq. km of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and 1,382 offshore islands, possesses one of the most expansive and strategically vital maritime domains in the world. Over 95% of India's trade by volume and around 68% by value moves through the sea, making the security of this vast coastline and oceanic territory not merely a military concern but a cornerstone of national economic survival and strategic stability. For UPSC aspirants, Coastal and Maritime Security emerges as a recurring theme across General Studies (GS) Papers II, III, and IV (Ethics), and features prominently in Internal Security sections, demanding a clear understanding of institutional frameworks, legal provisions, and emerging challenges.
Constitutional and Legal Foundation: The security and regulation of India's maritime zones are governed by the Constitution under Entry 21 of the Union List (defence of the sea), read with Article 51(d) that mandates international cooperation. Key legislative instruments include the Maritime Zones Act, 1976, the Coast Guard Act, 1978 (establishing the Indian Coast Guard), and the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958. Post-26/11 Mumbai attacks, the National Committee for Strengthening Maritime and Coastal Security (NCSMCS) was constituted to overhaul the coastal security architecture.
Subtopics Covered in This Chapter:
- India's Maritime Geography: coastline, EEZ, Continental Shelf, and offshore islands
- Institutional Framework: Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, Marine Police, Customs, and intelligence agencies
- Coastal Security Scheme (CSS) and the National Command Control Communication and Intelligence Network (NC3IN)
- Coastal Security Mechanism: Marine Operations Centres, Automatic Identification System (AIS), vessel tracking, and community interaction programmes
- Post-26/11 reforms: registration of fishermen, biometric identity cards, and Village Maritime Security Councils
- Legal Framework: Maritime Zones Act, UNCLOS provisions, Anti-Piracy Laws, and anti-trafficking statutes
- Emerging Threats: piracy, terrorism, smuggling, human trafficking, narco-trafficking, IUU fishing, and maritime cyber-attacks
- International Cooperation: Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), MILAN exercises, and SAGAR vision
- Coastal Communities: role of fisherfolk as the "first eyes on the sea"
- Critical Infrastructure: ports, shipyards, lighthouses, and offshore installations
Exam Relevance: For Prelims, questions test factual knowledge such as the jurisdiction of the Coast Guard, key Acts, and geographical limits of maritime zones. In Mains, aspirants must analyse threats, institutional coordination gaps, and policy responses with contemporary examples. The topic also integrates with Internal Security questions in GS Paper III and essays requiring multidimensional analysis.
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