Coast Guard DG for beefing up of offshore security

Vice Admiral A G Thapliyal, Director General of Indian Coast Guard, today said there was a need for stringent offshore security measures in view of emerging threats at the sea.
He also said that interception of Pakistani fishing vessel, suspected to be carrying terrorists on the intervening night of December 31 and New Year, averted "a major infiltration bid".
Thapliyal was addressing the 12th meeting of Offshore Security Coordination Committee (OSCC) in Mumbai, convened to review the preparedness and effectiveness of the security of India's offshore installations.
A Coast Guard release said the DG attributed the successful interception of a suspicious fishing boat by the Indian Coast Guard on the midnight of December 31 to the seamless coordination between various agencies.

"As a result of this, a major infiltration bid which could have posed serious threat to national security was averted by ICG based on credible intelligence input," said the release, adding that he also highlighted the need for preparedness in view of the threat from 'adrift derelict vessels' during the monsoon.
The agenda of the meeting included issues pertaining to offshore security, inter-agency coordination, establishment of Safety Fairways to facilitate safe passage of shipping traffic in the vicinity of Offshore Development Areas, etc.
The OSCC, constituted by the erstwhile Ministry of Petroleum, Chemicals and Fertilisers in 1978, is the apex body for reviewing and evaluating offshore security in India. It comprises representatives of Indian Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force, IB and ONGC, and meets every six months.