Indian Coast Guard discusses maritime law enforcement with its Asian counterparts
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) participated in the 20th Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM) from September 3 to 4 at Incheon, South Korea.
Indian Coast Guard as a member of the Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM) hosted the Working Level Meeting for the 18th HACGAM on August 2-3.
The meetings are an annual affair and are hosted by one of the members in rotation. ICG last hosted the 8th HACGAM in the year 2012. HACGAM is an independent organisation with 23 member Coast Guard Agencies and two associate members in the form of ReCAAP and UNODC.
This forum is an offshoot of the Japanese initiative to promote cooperation amongst regional Coast Guards, after the capture of the pirated vessel MV Alondra Rainbow by the Indian Coast Guard in November 1999. Consequently, the very first HACGAM was conducted in Tokyo, Japan in June 2004. HACGAM primarily focuses on fostering cooperation between Coast Guards of the member Asian states to ensure and promote safe, secure and clean seas in the region.
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HACGAM comprises of four Working groups to enable a focused and goal-oriented approach towards coordinated response and synergy towards common maritime issues. Indian Coast Guard is the chair of the Search and Rescue Working Group. Other Working Groups include Environmental Protection, Controlling Unlawful Acts at Sea and Capacity Building.
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