Navy to be responsible for overall maritime security: Govt

The Indian Navy will solely be responsible for overall security of the coastal zones, the government said today.

Minister of State for Home Affairs M Ramachandran said the Director General of Coast Guard will also assume the role of Commander Coastal Command.

"The government of India has designated Indian Navy as the authority responsible for overall maritime security which includes coastal security and offshore security," the Minister said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

"The Director General Coast Guard has been designated as Commander Coastal Command responsible for overall coordination between Central and state agencies in all matters relating to coastal security. These decisions are being implemented by the Ministry of Defence," he said.

While replying to a question on instances of infiltration through the coastal areas, Ramachandran said, "As per the information available, there has been no case reported or encountered during the last three years, except a case regarding infiltration by sea route on November 26 last year leading to Mumbai attacks. The matter is under investigation and sub-judice."

Joint coastal patrolling is also being carried out along the coasts of Gujarat and Maharashtra under operation SWAN by Coast Guard, Navy and other agencies, the Minister said.

India had previously used a leased Russian-built nuclear submarine INS Chakra from January 1988 to January 1991.

With the launch of the indigenously-built nuclear-powered submarine, India will join the exclusive club of US, Russia, China, France and the UK with similar capabilities.

The ATV, developed jointly by the Navy and the DRDO, will give India the additional power of a nuclear weapon strike from the sea, apart from surface and air which it currently possesses.

According to sources, the nuclear reactor of the submarine has been developed at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam.