Sea Vigil-26: Multi-Agency Coastal Defence Exercise Begins Along India's Coastline

The fifth edition of India's pan-India coastal defence exercise, Sea Vigil-26, began on Wednesday, bringing together 21 agencies across six ministries to assess and strengthen the country's maritime security preparedness, officials said.

Coordinated by the Indian Navy as the lead agency, the exercise will cover the entire Indian coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), involving all coastal states and Union Territories, along with various maritime stakeholders, including fishing and coastal communities.

According to a Defence Ministry release, the exercise will be conducted in two phases. The Coastal Defence and Security Readiness Evaluation (CDSRE) phase will run from November 11 to 17, followed by the Sea Phase on November 18 and 19.

Assets of the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, Coastal Security Police, Customs and other maritime agencies will participate in the exercise.

Conceptualised in 2018 in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Sea Vigil was designed to validate the coastal security measures introduced to prevent and respond to maritime threats.

The latest edition is significant in terms of its geographical coverage, the number of participating agencies and units, and the range of operational objectives. It will also focus on securing critical offshore installations, including oil platforms.

The exercise is being facilitated by the Ministries of Defence, Home Affairs, Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Petroleum and Natural Gas, and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

Sea Vigil-26 will also serve as a build-up to the Indian Navy's biennial Theatre Level Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX). Together, Sea Vigil and TROPEX address the full spectrum of maritime security challenges, ranging from coastal defence to operations in the high seas.

The exercise is expected to provide a realistic assessment of India's maritime and national security preparedness and help strengthen coordination among agencies responsible for safeguarding the country's maritime interests, the release said.