Two-day coastal security exercise 'Sagar Kavach' concludes

Kochi: A two-day Coastal Security Exercise- ‘Sagar Kavach’- to assess the preparedness of all agencies towards dealing with an asymmetric threat emanating from the sea, concluded on Thursday.

The exercise conducted along the coastal areas of Kerala, Karnataka and Lakshadweep assumes significance in the backdrop of prevailing security situation in the country, a Defence statement said here.

According to the statement,20 ships of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard as well as 50 patrol crafts manned by various security agencies,took part in the exercise.

During the exercise, the participants were divided in two teams, Red (attack) and Blue (defence), with the Red Force simulating as terrorists attempting to infiltrate coastal areas of the state for attacks on vital assets as well as vital points and Blue Force carrying out coastal security surveillance to intercept and neutralize the attempts.

Extensive air patrol and surveillance of the adjoining seas were also undertaken by the aircraft, helicopters and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard to detect ships and vessels of the opposing force, the statement said.

A high level of coastal surveillance was maintained all along the Kerala coast during the period.

A wide range of security contingencies including multi-layer security, infiltration from seaward, simulated attacks on vital installations/ assets, hijacking of merchant ships, and cross landings were exercised.

The defensive layers set up at sea thwarted attempts by the opposing force engaged in infiltration, it said.

Apart from Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, Coastal Police, Coastal District Administration, Cochin Port, Fisheries Department, Customs, Marine Enforcement Wing (MEW), Central Industrial Security force (CISF), Intelligence Bureau (IB), LightHouse Department and fishermen community participated in the exercise.

Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Southern Naval Command, reviewed the preparedness and conduct of the exercise with special emphasis on ensuring COVID-19 protocol by the concerned agencies, as the Commander-in-Chief, Coastal Defence.

The exercise was monitored from Joint Operations Centre, Kochi.

Sagar Kavach is a half-yearly exercise with an objective to check Coastal Security mechanism and validate Standard Operating Procedures.