Indian Coast Guard
| भारतीय तटरक्षक Bharatiya Tatrakshak |
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Indian Coast Guard crest
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| Active | 1978–Present |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Type | Coast Guard |
| Size | 15,714 active personnel 162 vessels 60 aircraft |
| Headquarters | New Delhi |
| Motto(s) | वयम् रक्षामः (Sanskrit: We Protect) |
| Anniversaries | Coast Guard Day: 1 February |
| Vessels |
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| Website | www |
| Commanders | |
| Director General | Director General Rajendra Singh, PTM, TM |
| Additional Director General | ADG V S R Murthy, PTM, TM |
| Coast Guard Commander (Western Seaboard) | ADG Krishnaswamy Natarajan, PTM, TM |
| Insignia | |
| Ensign |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Helicopter | HAL Dhruv |
| Patrol | Dornier Do 228 |
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) protects India's maritime interests and enforces maritime law, with jurisdiction over the territorial waters of India, including its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone. The Indian Coast Guard was formally established on 18 August 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 of the Parliament of India as an independent Armed force of India. It operates under the Ministry of Defence.
The Coast Guard works in close cooperation with the Indian Navy, the Department of Fisheries, the Department of Revenue (Customs) and the Central and State police forces.
The establishment of the Indian Coast Guard was first proposed by the Indian Navy to provide non-military maritime services to the nation. In the 1960s, sea-borne smuggling of goods was threatening India's domestic economy. The Indian Customs Department frequently called upon the Indian Navy for assistance with patrol and interception in the anti-smuggling effort.
The Nagchaudhuri Committee was constituted with participation from the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force to study the problem. In August 1971, the committee identified the requirement to patrol India's vast coastline, set up a registry of offshore fishing vessels in order to identify illegal activity, and establish a capable and well-equipped force to intercept vessels engaged in illegal activities. The committee also looked at the number and nature of the equipment, infrastructure and personnel required to provide those services.
By 1973, India had started a programme to acquire the equipment and started deputing personnel from the Indian Navy for these anti-smuggling and law enforcement tasks, under the provisions of the Maintenance of Internal Security Act. The Indian Navy sensed that the law enforcement nature of these duties diverged from its core mission as a military service. Admiral Sourendra Nath Kohli, then Chief of Naval Staff, hence made a recommendation to the Defence Secretary outlining the need for a separate maritime service to undertake those duties and offering the Navy's assistance in its establishment. On 31 August 1974, the Defence Secretary submitted a note to the Cabinet Secretary proposing cabinet action on Admiral Kohli's recommendation.
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Wikipedia