An ICG official explained that Sagar Kavach is a biannual exercise that is conducted by the ICG, the service that is responsible in coordinating the coastal security efforts between various central and state agencies where in Director General, Coast Guard is also the Commander of Coastal Command.
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The Kolkata-based Indian Coast Guard’s (ICG) North-East Command headquarters today informed that the fifth joint coastal security exercise codenamed “Sagar Kavach WB/OD/ II/20” was conducted from 5-6 November along the coast of West Bengal and Odisha.
The exercise was conducted with the objective to validate the standard operating procedures (SOP) regarding coastal security mechanism along the coast of West Bengal and Odisha by synergizing efforts and assets of central and state agencies those are stakeholders in the mechanism for coastal security.
An ICG official explained that Sagar Kavach is a biannual exercise that is conducted by the ICG, the service that is responsible in coordinating the coastal security efforts between various central and state agencies where in Director General, Coast Guard is also the Commander of Coastal Command.
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It is learnt that for the security exercise, the ships and aircraft of the Coast Guard, Indian Navy, the patrol boats of BSF, Marine Police, Customs, Port security boats, harbour tugs, trawlers hired by Marine Police and Commandos from National Security Guards were deployed in the two-day long exercise.
The exercise is aimed at validating SOPs on command and control, communications and response tactics for the threats emanating from the sea. It is of utmost importance to West Bengal in view of its geographical location. Since 2009, several coastal security exercises have been conducted for West Bengal.
Sagar Kavach is aimed at checking the efficacy of layered security arrangementsairsurveillance, deep sea patrol by bigger ships of Coast Guard and Navy and close coast patrol by Coast Guard interceptor boats. Moreover, ICG sources said once the advanced light helicopters are inducted into the NE Command, it will add more teeth to the search and rescue and surveillance operations.
The ALH ‘Dhruv’ is an indigenously built twin-engine light weight helicopters that will pave way for efficient patrolling over North Bay of Bengal.
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