Odisha, WB Carry Out Joint Coastal Security Exercise ‘Sagar Kavach’

Paradip: Odisha, West Bengal on Thursday started ‘Sagar Kavach’, a joint coastal security exercise at Paradip coast aimed at fine-tuning surveillance along the states’ maritime border.

Indian Coast Guard, Coastal Police, Coastal District Administration, Paradip Port Trust, Fisheries Department, Customs, Marine Enforcement Wing (MEW), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Light House Department and fishermen community are participating in the two-day long exercise.

Post 26/11 Mumbai attack, ‘Sagar Kavach’ has been conducted every year by various coastal states to check terrorists’ intrusion into the country using sea routes.

In this two-day long exercise, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel are being split into two teams, ‘Blue Force’ and ‘Red Force’ for launching special anti-terror and anti-infiltration operations.

Moreover, 18 checkpoints have been created along with the Paradip coast to check incursion of anonymous boats and ships into the country's maritime border.

The exercise is being conducted in the territorial waters. Odisha, a littoral state, has 485 km long coastline from West Bengal in the north to Andhra Pradesh in the south.

Paradip Maritime Police IIC Pradyumna Kumar Behera informed, “More than 13 agencies are collaborating to carry out this joint coastal exercise. 18 picketing points have been created for the purpose. ODRAF teams are out on sea patrolling along with the officers from other agencies.”

(Edited By Rashmi Ranjan Mohanty)

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