Indian Coast Guard

India to host 5th Coast Guard Global Summit in 2027: Defence ministry

India will host the fifth Coast Guard Global Summit (CCGS) in Chennai in 2027, coinciding with the golden jubilee celebrations of the Indian Coast Guard, the defence ministry said on Saturday. The decision was taken unanimously at the fourth CGGS held in Rome, Italy, from September 11 to 12. It was attended by delegates from 115 countries, including India, and international organisations. Director General (DG), Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Paramesh Sivamani, emphasised that no single nation can address the full spectrum of maritime issues alone, and underlined that the Chennai summit in 2027 will serve as an inclusive forum to foster interoperability, trust and stronger cooperation among coast guards worldwide, the ministry said in a statement. Reaffirming its leadership in international maritime cooperation, India will host the fifth CGGS in Chennai in 2027, coinciding with the golden jubilee celebrations of the ICG, it said. "The three-day event will include an International Coast .

13th high-level meeting between coast guards of India, Korea held in Delhi

Top officers from the Indian and Korean coast guard forces held a key meeting in Delhi on Monday, seeking to boost cooperation in maritime law enforcement, search and rescue and pollution response. The defence ministry said this in a statement. "Both sides engaged in discussions to boost cooperation in Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR), Pollution Response (PR), and Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE), while reaffirming their commitment to share best practices and enhance interoperability under the 2006 MoU, it said. This was the 13th High-Level Meeting (HLM) between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Korea Coast Guard (KCG) in Delhi. The meeting was co-chaired by Paramesh Sivamani, Director General, ICG, and KIM Yong Jin, Commissioner General, KCG, who is currently leading a five-member delegation on an official visit to India from July 20-24, the ministry said. As part of the visit, the KCG delegation will travel to Mumbai from July 23-24 for an industrial visit to Mazagon Dock ...

Indian Coast Guard rescues 2 US nationals stranded near Nicobar Islands

The Indian Coast Guard rescued two United States nationals stranded about 53 miles south of the Nicobar Islands, officials said on Friday.ICG Ship Rajveer carried out the rescue operation after the US consulate in Chennai sent a distress message about the stranded US-flagged sailing vessel.The Indian patrol vessel navigated through rough sea conditions to rescue the US nationals."The Indian Coast Guard saved two US nationals stranded in a distressed yacht, a US-flagged sailing vessel, Sea Angel, about 53 miles south of the Nicobar Islands. On receipt of a distress message via the US Consulate at Chennai, ICG Ship Rajveer was deployed & responded to the distress situation, navigating through rough sea conditions," ICG said.Last Month, Indian Coast Guard (ICG) successfully rescued three Sri Lankan nationals who had been abandoned on a sandbar near Adam's Bridge, off the coast of Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu.According to the Coastal Security Group Police, the trio had set off from ...

India urges IMO probe into maritime incidents involving foreign ships

India on Wednesday highlighted recent maritime incidents involving foreign-flagged container vessels operating in Indian waters and urged the International Maritime Organization to review all such incidents, according to an official statement. Shipping secretary TK Ramachandran, while participating in the 134th session of the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), said recent maritime incidents caused by undeclared hazardous cargoes have raised serious safety concerns. "India delivered a strong and principled statement addressing recent maritime incidents involving foreign-flagged container vessels operating in Indian waters," the statement said. India urged the IMO to undertake a comprehensive investigation and global review of all such incidents involving container ships, it added. Citing the proactive role of the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard in ensuring the safety of life at sea, the statement said India called for urgent enhancements in the safety ...

Oil extraction from MSC Elsa 3 to take more time due to monsoon season: DGS

The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) on Wednesday said that due to the prevailing peak monsoon conditions and associated operational risks, it will take more time to extract oil from the Liberian-flagged ship that sank off the Kerala coast last month. The DGS said that the present weather conditions provide only a "narrow and fragmented working window", which is unsuitable for "stable and safe" oil extraction efforts. "Further delay would provide a more reliable window to safely conduct hot tapping and oil recovery," it said. It further said that the vessel Nand Saarthi -- from where saturation diving operations for oil extraction were to be conducted -- remains at Kochi port due to prevailing adverse sea conditions. "Upon improvement in weather, it will sail to the wreck site. Oil recovery equipment onboard Nand Saarthi is to be transferred to Canara Megh for the next phase. All accessories and gases remain available and are being held for deployment once the new contractor .

Singapore ship on fire towed further out to sea as firefighting continues

Amidst the firefighting operation aboard the Singapore-flagged cargo ship, which caught fire earlier this week off the Kerala coast en route to Mumbai from Colombo, it was towed farther away from the coastline on Saturday morning, defence sources said. The vessel -- MV Wan Hai 503 -- has been towed 40 nautical miles away from land. Earlier, the ship was 27 nautical miles from land, they said. According to a defence statement, the towing operation was initiated with a Seaking helicopter from the Southern Naval Command winching down salvors to shift the tow cables from the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ships to the tug vessels. "The towing operations have commenced. Due to heavy weather, towing speed is restricted to 1.5 knots," it said. "ICG Ships Saksham, Samarth, Vikram, and IN Ship Sharda, OSV Triton Liberty are escorting the towing vessels. Towing is being undertaken by Tug Offshore Warrior, Garnett and Water Lily," a defence statement, on social media platform X, said. "Fire fighti

ICG reports major milestone in dousing fire on Singapore-flagged cargo ship

The Indian Coast Guard on Friday said it has achieved a "major milestone" in the ongoing operation to suppress fire onboard a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel that occurred following a container explosion on June 9, as its towing commenced to keep away the ship away from the coast. The incident had occurred at approximately 9.20 am IST, around 44 nautical miles off Azhikkal in Kannur district of Kerala and 130 nautical miles northwest of Kochi. "Major milestone in the ongoing operation to suppress the fire onboard MV WAN HAI 503 and protect marine environment! @IndiaCoastGuard ships undertaking FF Op enabled tow connect up of Salvage vessel in extremely challenging and daunting operation. @indiannavy Sea King helicopter was tasked by #HQSNC to winch down salvors who shifted the tow from #ICG ships to Salvage Tugs," the ICG posted on X. It also shared some photos of the ongoing operation. "The tow has now commenced and the vessel is being pulled to keep away from our coast! ICG fire .

Indian Coast Guard, Navy boost aviation collaboration in Synergy Meeting

In a significant step towards enhancing maritime air operations, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Indian Navy held a high-level Synergy Meeting at the Coast Guard Headquarters (CGHQ) in New Delhi on Thursday, said the ICG.The meeting was co-chaired by the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air) [ACNA (Air)] and the Deputy Director General (Aviation) [DDG (AV)] of the ICG. Key discussions revolved around strengthening jointmanship, interoperability, and coordinated air operations between the two forces.Officials also deliberated on critical areas such as training programs, flight safety protocols, and future asset acquisition to bolster India's maritime aviation capabilities."Synergy Meeting between @IndiaCoastGuard & @indiannavy Aviation Divisions was held on 12 Jun 25 at #CGHQ, #NewDelhi, co-chaired by ACNA (Air) & DDG (AV). Focused discussions on Jointmanship, Interoperability, Air Ops, Training, Flight Safety & Asset Acquisition marked a significant stride in ...

China thanks Indian forces for rescuing crew after Kerala ship explosion

Yu Jing, spokesperson of the embassy, said that the crew members of the Singapore-flagged ship included 14 Chinese citizens, while 6 were from Taiwan

TN on alert for toxic debris after Liberia-registered ship sinks off Kerala

The ship was involved in an accident off the Kerala coast on May 24, during the onset of the southwest monsoon, resulting in the spillage of fuel, plastic particles, and hazardous cargo containers.

Boat capsize: Kerala on high alert, efforts on to avert major marine crisis

All company representatives of MSC have arrived in Kochi and have been advised to visit both the Indian Coast Guard and MMD offices, Sonowal said

₹1,800 crore worth of drugs dumped at sea off Gujarat coast seized

The smugglers, upon spotting the approaching patrol vessel, dumped the drugs into the Arabian Sea and fled toward international waters

Synergy among countries needed for mariners' safety: Coast Guard official

A senior Coast Guard official has said synergy among friendly countries is necessary for the "common and global cause" of the safety of mariners at sea. V Anbarasan, Chief of Staff, Coast Guard Region (West), also emphasised the importance of Search and Rescue (SAR) coordination training, speaking after presiding over the valedictory ceremony of the 'MRCC OPS & SAR' course here on Saturday. MRCC stands for the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre. "He highlighted the need for enhanced collaborative and continued synergy towards fostering the linkages amongst various friendly foreign countries and for the common and global humanitarian cause for the mariners' safety at sea," an official statement said. The week-long international course on 'MRCC OPS & SAR' was held for a total of 22 trainees from six foreign countries -- Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Seychelles and Sri Lanka. The course is conducted annually by the MRCC, Mumbai, of the Coast Guard Regional HQs (West) ...

Weeks after chopper crash kills 3, top official urges ALH design review

A senior Indian Coast Guard official has called for design re-evaluations of the Advanced Light Helicopter after one of the military choppers of the maritime security agency crashed in Gujarat earlier this month, killing three. ICG Inspector General and Regional Commander (West) Bhisham Sharma said on Thursday that ALH has been in the service for the past 20 years and the Coast Guard has the Mark III version of the indigenous helicopters called Dhruv. We have undertaken extensive flying operations. I have myself taken a ferry (helicopter ride) from Agatti to Minicoy and from Minicoy to Kavaratti (in Lakshadweep) again. It is a wonderful machine but few incidents certainly call for some design re-evaluations," he told reporters in Mumbai. He said Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, the ALH manufacturer, is working on it. Two pilots and an aircrew diver of an ALH of the Coast Guard were killed when the chopper crashed and caught fire at Gujarat's Porbandar airport on January 5. Following the

No Dhruv, Rudra helicopters at Republic Day flypast? Here's what we know

The armed forces have grounded their advanced light helicopter fleets for a thorough safety inspection following a Coast Guard crash in Porbandar earlier this month

India, Bangladesh exchange 90 fishermen at maritime boundary amid tension

In a mutual exchange between India and Bangladesh amid strained bilateral relations, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) handed over 90 Bangladeshi fishermen for 95 Indian fishermen at the International Maritime Boundary Line, a Defence official said here. The Indian fishermen were handed over by the ICG to the district magistrate of West Bengal's South 24 Parganas near Sagar Island on Monday, he said. The operation was the result of mutual efforts of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), West Bengal government and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in maintaining maritime relations between India and Bangladesh, the Defence official said in a statement. He said that on December 9, 2024, ICG apprehended two Bangladeshi fishing trawlers FV Laila-2 and FV Meghna-5 with 78 fishermen on board, engaged in fishing within Indian waters. The Centre accorded approval for the repatriation of 78 crew members along with two Bangladeshi fishing boats and an additional 12 crew of sunken Bangladesh fishing b

2 pilots, 1 crew member killed as chopper crashes at Porbandar airport

Two pilots and a crew member were killed on Sunday after an Indian Coast Guard helicopter on a routine sortie crashed at Porbandar airport runway in Gujarat and caught fire, officials said. The maritime security agency said the reasons for the incident are being investigated through a Board of Inquiry. "ICG ALH MK-III helicopter CG 859 met with a mishap at Porbandar Airport Runway at about 1215 hrs on 05 Jan 25. The ICG helicopter had 02 Pilots and 01 Air Crew Diver at the time of the incident and was on a routine training sortie," an ICG statement said. Immediately after the incident, the crew was rescued and shifted to a government hospital at Porbandar, where they were declared as brought dead. The deceased are Commandant (JG) Saurabh, Deputy Commandant SK Yadav and Navik Manoj Pradhan. They will be cremated as per service traditions and honour, the ICG stated. Porbandar Superintendent of Police Bhagirathsinh Jadeja said the chopper crashed while landing near the Porbandar airp

Three killed as Indian Coast Guard chopper crashes in Gujarat's Porbandar

Three crew members were killed after a helicopter of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) crashed during landing at Porbandar airport in Gujarat on Sunday afternoon, police said. The incident took place at 12.10 pm, Porbandar Superintendent of Police Bhagirathsinh Jadeja said. The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) of the ICG with three crew members onboard crashed during landing at the Porbandar airport, he said. The three crew members were brought out of the chopper and rushed to a hospital in Porbandar in a severely burnt condition, he said. All the three crew members died at the hospital, Kamala Baug police station's inspector Rajesh Kanmiya said.

Indian Coast Guard rescues 9 crew members after vessel sinks in Arabian Sea

The Indian Coast Guard on Thursday rescued nine crew members from a sunken vessel under challenging conditions in the Arabian Sea with some support from Pakistan maritime authorities. The rescue operation saw collaboration between Indian and Pakistani maritime authorities, according to officials. The vessel was sailing from Gujarat's Mundra to Socotra in Yemen when it was battered by rough seas. "The Indian Coast Guard successfully rescued nine Indian crew members from a sunken vessel, MSV Taj Dhare Haram, located approximately 311 km west of Porbandar, Gujarat in Pakistan's Search and Rescue Region (North Arabian Sea)," an official readout said. "The search and rescue mission, carried out under challenging sea conditions, showcased exceptional collaboration between the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCCs) of Mumbai and Karachi, Pakistan," it said. The readout by the defence ministry said the vessel had set sail from Mundra, and was heading to Socotra, adding it was batter

Coast Guard rescues 12 Indian crew members of sunken ship with Pak's help

The Indian Coast Guard has rescued 12 crew members of a merchant vessel from the country which sank in the north Arabian Sea during its voyage from Porbandar in Gujarat to Bandar Abbas port in Iran, officials said on Thursday. The vessel 'MSV Al Piranpir' sank on Wednesday outside Indian waters, within Pakistan's search and rescue region. Hence, the Indian Coast Guard carried out the rescue operation in collaboration with the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), the ICG said in a release. "This humanitarian search and rescue mission saw a close collaboration between the Indian Coast Guard and PMSA, with both nations' maritime rescue coordination centres (MRCC) maintaining continuous communication throughout the operation," it said. The merchant vessel left for the Iranian port from Porbandar on December 2 with general cargo. On its way, it reportedly sank in the morning hours of Wednesday due to rough seas and flooding, said the release. A distress call was received by the In