Coastal defence exercise 'Sea Vigil-22' from today

Visakhapatnam: The third edition of the pan-India 'Coastal Defence Exercise 'Sea Vigil-22' will be held from November 15 and 16.

Coastal security being a major sub-set of coastal defence construct, the concept of 'Sea Vigil' is to activate the coastal security apparatus across India and assess the overarching coastal defence mechanism. The exercise will be undertaken along the entire 7,516-km coastline and exclusive economic zone of India and will involve all the coastal states and Union Territories along with other maritime stakeholders, including the fishing and coastal communities. The exercise is being conducted by the Indian Navy in coordination with the Coast Guard and other ministries entrusted with the task of maritime activities.

Conceptualised in 2018, the national level coastal defence exercise is to validate various measures that have been instituted towards enhancing maritime security.

The exercise is a build up towards the major Theatre Level Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX), which the Indian Navy conducts every two years. Sea Vigil and TROPEX together will cover the entire spectrum of maritime security challenges.

Assets of the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, customs and other maritime agencies will participate in Sea Vigil. In addition to the ministry of defence, the conduct of this exercise is also being facilitated by the ministries of home affairs, Ports Shipping and Waterways, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Customs, and other agencies of Centre/ State.

While smaller scale exercises are conducted in coastal states at regular intervals, the conduct of Sea Vigil at national level is aimed at serving a larger purpose.