Indian Navy's Coastal Defence Exercise 'Sea Vigil-24' Set To Bolster National Maritime Security On November 20-21

The Indian Navy is set to conduct the fourth edition of its comprehensive coastal defence exercise, 'Sea Vigil-24,' on November 20-21. This pan-India initiative is designed to assess and enhance the preparedness of coastal security measures. It will involve collaboration across six ministries and 21 different organizations and agencies.

Since late October, Naval officers have been leading the Coastal Defence and Security Readiness Evaluation (CDSRE) phase in all coastal states and Union Territories, including the Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This phase includes a rigorous audit of coastal defence and security infrastructure to ensure its effectiveness.

For the first time, officials from the National Security Council Secretariat will join Indian Navy-led CDSRE teams, alongside personnel from various agencies, including the state marine police, Coast Guard, customs, and fisheries departments. This year, the exercise will place a particular emphasis on securing key coastal assets, such as ports, oil rigs, moorings, cable landing sites, and other critical infrastructure.

Originally launched in 2018, Sea Vigil was conceived as a response to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, with the aim of bolstering coastal defences along India’s entire 11,098 km coastline and its vast Exclusive Economic Zone of 2.4 million sq km. This year’s exercise will involve participation from the Indian Army and Indian Air Force, with an expanded deployment of ships and aircraft to heighten the operational tempo.

A central goal of Sea Vigil is to promote maritime security awareness among coastal communities, including fishermen, local residents, and youth groups such as the NCC and Bharat Scouts and Guides. While state-led coastal security exercises are routinely conducted, Sea Vigil stands out as a nationwide initiative led by the Indian Navy, offering a unified assessment of India’s maritime security capabilities.

As a prelude to the biennial Theatre Level Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX), 'Sea Vigil-24' underscores India’s commitment to protecting its maritime borders and reinforcing collaboration among all coastal defence stakeholders.