Revision summary
ICG polices coasts, the EEZ and search-and-rescue in peacetime. The beat is larger than the fleet, so patrol density is the first challenge. Creeks, fisher identification and State marine police remain 26/11 leftovers. Smuggling, illegal fishing, pollution and extra-regional presence compete for the same cutters. New ships, coastal radar, NC3I with the Navy and Sagar Kavach-type drills are the reply.
Model answer
Introduction
The Indian Coast Guard is the peacetime maritime policeman of India’s coasts, EEZ, and search-and-rescue region. Its beat is long, crowded with fishers, and watched by smugglers and a foreign navy. Challenges and efforts have to be named together.
Body
Major challenges
- The EEZ and search-and-rescue area are huge relative to the ICG’s ship and aircraft numbers, so patrol density stays thin on many days.
- Coastal security after 26/11 still has gaps: creeks, landing points, and State marine police capacity vary, and fishermen IDs are uneven.
- IMBL and EEZ disputes, smuggling, narcotics, illegal fishing, and marine pollution compete for the same few cutters.
- A denser Indian Ocean presence by extra-regional navies, and cyclone-season SAR, stretch a force that must also board dhows and fight oil spills.
Efforts to deal with them
- New offshore patrol vessels, fast interceptors, aircraft, and ICG stations have thickened the fleet and the coastal footprint since the 2010s.
- The coastal radar chain, Automatic Identification System, and National Command Control Communication and Intelligence network feed maritime domain awareness with the Navy.
- Joint exercises such as Sagar Kavach, biometric fisher identity, and State marine-police strengthening are the 26/11 institutional reply.
- Pollution-response ships, SAR coordination, and legal powers under the Coast Guard Act and maritime statutes complete the effort; the remaining gap is still hulls versus coastline.
Flow diagram
flowchart TD CH[Huge EEZ thin hulls] --> ICG[Indian Coast Guard] CR[Creeks smuggling SAR] --> ICG EF[New ships radar Sagar Kavach] --> ICG ICG --> SEC[Coastal EEZ security]
Conclusion
The Coast Guard’s challenges are space, thin hulls, creek security, and a mixed threat of crime, pollution, and grey-zone presence. Efforts are more ships, coastal radar, Navy–State fusion, and post-26/11 police reform. The map is safer; it is not yet dense enough for every creek.
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Next question in the 2024 paper (Q11). View answer →
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Is the Coast Guard a second navy?
It is a distinct armed force for constabulary and SAR work. The Navy remains the warfighting sea service.
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Did 26/11 end the creek problem?
It forced radar and joint drills. Creek density and fisher IDs are still uneven across States.
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