Maritime Security

India seeks re-election to IMO Council, highlights maritime growth plans

India has presented its candidature for re-election to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council at the organisation's 134th session in London, where the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways highlighted key aspects of maritime safety and gender inclusivity. At a special India-themed reception at the IMO Headquarters on Thursday evening, Ministry Secretary T K Ramachandran and Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami announced the decision to seek re-election in Category B of the Council. The election for the 2025-26 biennium will take place at the organisation's Assembly later this year and follows India's re-election with the highest tally back in December 2023. India embraces the philosophy of One Earth, One Family, One Future, and we bring this vision to life through fostering robust and collaborative maritime efforts, said Ramachandran in his address at the reception. Under our Vision 2047, we see maritime growth as a corner of global progress, and

Hidden Chinese vessel spotted 120 NM from Indian waters in Bay of Bengal

French firm Unseenlabs used radio frequency satellite surveillance to trace the covert Chinese vessel, which allegedly switched off its AIS near Indian maritime zones

Navy, BEL sign contract for NMDA project to upgrade surveillance systems

The deal involves upgrading the existing National Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence (NC3I) network to the NMDA network with AI-enabled software integration

Security increased after suspicious boat spotted off Maharashtra coast

Police and maritime security agencies have intensified their search for a suspicious boat, "possibly a Pakistani fishing vessel", spotted near Revdanda coast in Maharashtra's Raigad district, officials said on Monday. The boat was spotted on the Indian Navy's radar on Sunday night, around two nautical miles off the Korlai coast in Revdanda, an official said. It was "possibly a Pakistani fishing vessel", but the identity and other details will be ascertained once the boat is intercepted, the official said. Prima facie, the boat was suspected to have drifted to the Raigad coast, an official earlier said. Security along the coastline in Raigad was stepped up after the vessel was spotted. Following the alert, the Raigad Police, Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), Quick Response Team (QRT), the Navy and the Coast Guard personnel rushed to the spot at night and launched the search, he said. Efforts to reach the boat were hampered at night due to heavy rain and strong winds. Raig

Quad countries are major maritime partners, says US State dept official

US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mignon Houston said that Quad countries understand the maritime issues that countries face

How should India tackle China's expanding reach in the Indian ocean?

While China's engagement strategy appears to operate on a quid pro quo basis, India's approach seems to be driven by its objectives

Navy inducts first anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft INS Arnala

INS Arnala, a diesel-powered indigenous warship with advanced sensors and weapons, was commissioned into the Navy, reinforcing coastal defence and maritime self-reliance

18 more nations ratify high seas treaty to protect marine biodiversity

Eighteen more countries have ratified the High Seas Treaty, a global agreement for the protection and sustainable use of biodiversity in international waters, taking the total number of ratifications to 49. Adopted in June 2023, the treaty will enter into force 120 days after at least 60 countries ratify it. The treaty is crucial to meet a globally agreed biodiversity target of protecting 30 per cent of the oceans and lands by 2030, known as "30x30". At a special High Seas Treaty event organised at the third United Nations Ocean Conference on Monday, Albania, Bahamas, Belgium, Croatia, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Fiji, Malta, Mauritania, Vanuatu, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Jamaica, Jordan, Liberia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vietnam deposited their instruments of ratification. They now join the 31 countries plus the European Union that have already deposited their ratification prior to the conference. According to a statement from the High Seas Alliance, 18 more countries have signed the

PierSight gains strategic investors to grow satellite maritime surveillance

Backed by Sustainable Ocean Alliance and CE-Ventures, PierSight aims to scale its SAR satellite constellation, boost ocean intelligence, and grow its engineering team

Maritime security raised to level 2 for Indian ports amid tensions

The Directorate General of Shipping has increased maritime security for Indian ports, terminals, and Indian-flagged vessels to "MARSEC Level 2 or heightened security", considering the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan, a senior government official said. The directive was issued on May 8, the official added. The Directorate General of Shipping functions under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. The International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), forms a crucial part of the SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) Convention. It was adopted in response to growing global concerns over maritime security, especially in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. One of the core components of the ISPS Code is the classification of security levels. These levels are designed to ensure that ships and port facilities can operate securely under varying threat environments. Security Level 2 involves maintaining of appropr

Pahalgam terror attack: India bans all maritime access to Pakistan

India's shipping regulator, the Directorate General of Shipping, said in a notice on Saturday that the direction has been issued 'keeping in view of the present situation'

US approves $131 mn arms deal with India to boost Indo-Pacific vigilance

The deal includes the delivery of advanced SeaVision software to India, designed to enhance real-time maritime surveillance

Synergy Marine Group founder gets National Maritime Varuna Award

Director General of Shipping (DGS) Shyam Jagannathan presented the award in Mumbai during the 62nd National Maritime Day celebrations held on April 5, 2025

Indian fisherman in Pakistan's Karachi Jail since 2022 dies by suicide

Indian fishermen are frequently detained in Pakistani waters due to unintentionally crossing maritime boundaries

What is Sea Dragon 2025, the anti-submarine warfare training India joined?

Australia, India, Japan, S Korea, and the US conclude two-week Sea Dragon 2025 AWS training in Guam

'Filled with arrogance': China lashes out at G7 over maritime security

China has lashed out at accusations it is endangering maritime safety made by top diplomats from the Group of 7 industrialised democracies in a joint statement, saying the G7 members are filled with arrogance, prejudice and malicious intentions. Even for China's generally overheated diplomatic language, the statement issued Saturday was unusually vitriolic, although it did not threaten any retaliation. In the Friday statement that sparked the Chinese response, the G7 said, We condemn China's illicit, provocative, coercive and dangerous actions that seek unilaterally to alter the status quo in such a way as to risk undermining the stability of regions, including through land reclaimations, and building of outposts, as well as their use for military purpose. We reaffirm that our basic policies on Taiwan remain unchanged and emphasize the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as indispensable to international security and prosperity, the statement said, referring t

Red Sea crisis geopolitical, cannot control it, says IMO secretary general

International Maritime Organisation (IMO) continues to engage with all the countries in relation to any crisis around the world, its Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez said on Thursday even as he said that the Red Sea issue is "geopolitical" which it cannot control. "... geopolitics, we can't control them. And the Red Sea is geopolitics. We get affected by it. What we're doing is engaging with all the necessary actors in order to first guarantee the safety and security of the people on board the ships and the ships," Dominguez said here addressing a media conference at the Green Shipping Conclave 2025. He said that his organisation facilitates conversations between the key players, either directly at IMO or with the relevant UN agencies. "And I continue to engage with all the countries at IMO in relation to the Red Sea crisis and any crisis around the world," Dominguez added. Stating that countries can play a part (in resolving such issues), he said, "I have asked India and many .

PM Modi, Trump to reinforce Quad partnership amid China's growing influence

Defence and security ties between India and the US are set to be a key focus of PM Modi's meeting with US President Donald Trump

Navy will protect India's maritime interests anytime, anywhere: Chief Adm

Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi has said that his force will continue to safeguard India's maritime interests "anytime, anywhere, anyhow". The Chief of the Naval Staff made the remarks at the Indian Navy Chiefs' Conclave held at the new Nausena Bhawan here on Saturday. The conclave aims to gain from the collective experience and knowledge of the eight former naval chiefs who attended the event, a Navy spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday. These former chiefs were presented with an operational update, including policy initiatives, technological, material and operational logistics advancements and perspective plans, the spokesperson said. "We are committed to carrying forward your illustrious legacy and the Indian Navy will continue to safeguard India's national maritime interests, anytime, anywhere, anyhow," the statement quoted the Navy chief as saying. At the conclave, a session -- 'Manthan' -- was also conducted to deliberate on key issues of interest, fostering an op

Navy to boost maritime security with three new combatants: Naval chief

Addressing the event, PM Modi while highlighting the transcending maritime security of the nation said that today India is being recognised as a 'reliable' and 'responsible' country in Global South