The Indian Navy is set to conduct the fourth edition of the ‘Pan-India’ Coastal Defence Exercise, ‘Sea Vigil-24’, on the 20th and 21st of November 2024. The fourth edition of Exercise Sea Vigil will be on an unprecedented scale, both in terms of geographical reach and the magnitude of participation, with involvement from 06 Ministries and 21 organizations/agencies.
The Coastal Defence & Security Readiness Evaluation (CDSRE) phase of the exercise has been conducted by the Naval Officer-in-Charges of all coastal states and Union Territories (including Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands) since the end of October 2024. During this phase, a thorough audit of the complete coastal defence and security infrastructure is being carried out. This year, officials from the National Security Council Secretariat will also be part of the Indian Navy-led CDSRE teams for the first time, along with personnel from the State Marine Police, Coast Guard, Customs, Fisheries, and other departments.
The exercise will focus on strengthening the security of coastal assets like ports, oil rigs, single-point moorings, cable landing points, and critical coastal infrastructure, including the protection of the coastal population. This year, participation by other Services (Indian Army and Air Force) and the planned deployment of a large number of ships and aircraft have significantly enhanced the tempo of the exercise.
Originally conceptualized in 2018, Sea Vigil was designed to validate and enhance measures adopted to bolster coastal defence in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Encompassing the entire 11,098 km coastline and the vast Exclusive Economic Zone of 2.4 million square kilometers, this comprehensive exercise will engage the entire coastal security infrastructure and all maritime stakeholders, including the fishing community and the coastal populace.
One of the aims of the exercise is to raise awareness among coastal communities about maritime security. To this end, the participation of fishing communities, the coastal populace, and students from NCC and Bharat Scouts and Guides will add to the fervour of the exercise.
While coastal security exercises are conducted by individual coastal states and maritime security agencies regularly, Exercise Sea Vigil, coordinated by the Indian Navy, stands out as a national-level initiative that provides a holistic appraisal of India’s maritime defence and security capabilities. The exercise offers a significant opportunity to assess the current preparedness of all maritime security agencies, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and enhance the nation’s overall maritime defence framework.
Serving as a precursor to the Theatre Level Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX), conducted biennially by the Indian Navy, Sea Vigil-24 will serve as an essential measure in reinforcing India’s commitment to safeguarding its maritime boundaries and ensuring coordinated efforts among all stakeholders in coastal defence.
