The fourth edition of India’s Pan-India Coastal Defence Exercise, Sea Vigil 24, concluded successfully on November 21, 2024. Spanning a 36-hour period, the exercise underscored India’s commitment to strengthening its maritime security and coastal defence mechanisms. Covering India’s expansive 11,098 km coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone of 2.4 million square kilometres, Sea Vigil 24 saw the participation of over 21 agencies from six ministries, including the Indian Navy, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, State Marine Police, Customs, BSF, CISF, Port Authorities, and the Fisheries Department.
During the two days of the exercise, more than 550 surface assets from various maritime security agencies were deployed, alongside 60 air sorties, totalling about 200 flying hours across the entire coastline.
The Coastal Defence and Security Readiness Evaluation (CDSRE) phase, conducted for seven days before the tactical phase, involved an extensive audit of over 950 critical coastal locations. These included Fishing Landing Centres, Lighthouses, ports, Coastal Police Stations, offshore assets, and more. Notably, for the first time, officials from the National Security Council Secretariat participated in the CDSRE activities in Gujarat and West Bengal.
Focus and Objectives
Sea Vigil 24 primarily focused on enhancing the country’s coastal defence, with specific emphasis on the security of vital maritime assets such as oil rigs, single point moorings (SPMs), cable landing stations, and non-major ports, as well as nuclear installations along the coast. The Indian Air Force deployed Air Defence Systems on offshore platforms to secure these infrastructures. Other initiatives included simulated hijackings and naval coordination efforts to ensure the safety and security of merchant ships.
In a first, fishing communities across all states actively participated in the exercise, working alongside maritime forces to enhance coastal security. The exercise also featured an expanded community outreach program to raise awareness about maritime security, engaging youth groups like NCC cadets, Bharat Scouts and Guides, and students from coastal areas. This initiative was aimed at fostering a robust, security-conscious coastal ecosystem.
Strengthening Inter-Agency Coordination
A key objective of Sea Vigil 24 was to evaluate the inter-agency coordination critical to India’s Coastal Defence Architecture. The seamless collaboration between various agencies revealed strengths and highlighted areas for improvement, ensuring the nation’s readiness to counter evolving maritime threats.
Legacy and Vision
Since its inception in 2018, Sea Vigil has played a crucial role in strengthening India’s coastal defence preparedness. By simulating real-time maritime security scenarios, the exercise offers valuable insights into the nation’s defence capabilities, helping to make India’s coastal security more resilient.
The successful conclusion of Sea Vigil 24 marks a significant milestone in India’s maritime security efforts, reinforcing the Indian Navy’s commitment to its responsibility of ensuring “Overall Maritime Security.” The exercise also highlighted the importance of inter-agency collaboration, robust preparedness, and community engagement in safeguarding the nation’s maritime borders against emerging security challenges.
