Sea Vigil 2019: Indian Navy to hold massive exercise along coastline

*KOCHI:* The Indian Navy, in coordination with the Coast Guard and otherstakeholders, commenced a two-day defence exercise along the coastline fromTuesday to test the country’s preparedness against any attack through thesea route.

Codenamed “Sea Vigil 2019”, it is the first exercise on such a large scale,PTI has reported.View image on Twitterlink[image: View image on Twitter]link

linkSpokespersonNavy✔@indiannavylinklink

#IndianNavy link commences thelargest coastal Defence exercise off the Indian Coast. Code named Ex SeaVigil, it covers the entire coastline of 7516.6 kms & Exclusive EconomicZone of India @SpokespersonMoD link @DefenceMinIndia link @IndiaCoastGuardlink3:48 PM – Jan 22, 2019link

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Multi-agency teams have been deployed in all coastal districts to undertakesecurity audit of various vulnerable locations such as fish landingcentres, as well as major, minor and intermediate ports, lighthouses,coastal police stations, control rooms and operations centres, a defencestatement said on Monday.

The exercise aims to test the country’s preparedness to thwart any attemptby anti-national elements to carry out an attack on its territory oragainst its citizens by infiltrating through the sea route, the statementsaid.

linkSpokespersonNavy✔@indiannavylink · Jan 22, 2019 linklink

linkSpokespersonNavy✔@indiannavylink

#ExSeaVigil link involves allthe 13 coastal states and Union Territories along with all maritimestakeholders incl the fishing and coastal communities.3:48 PM – Jan 22, 2019link

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“A wide range of contingencies, including simulated attacks on vitalinstallations and assets along the coastline, will be exercised to assessthe response, coordination and information sharing between agencies,” itsaid.

The exercise will provide an opportunity to stakeholders to assess thecapability and preparedness of individual organisations, identifydeficiencies if any and address them on priority, it said.

The exercise is being conducted under the aegis of Commander-in-Chief,Coastal Defence, Southern Naval Command, Kochi and will be monitoredclosely from the Joint Operations Centre, Kochi.

Following the 2008 Mumbai attacks, both central and state governments haveinstituted a number of steps to build coastal security capacity andcapability of all stakeholders.

“It has been more than 10 years since this attack and, hence Exercise SeaVigil, which will see participation by all agencies associated with coastalsecurity, is well-timed,” the release said.

Several planning meetings have been held with all participating agenciesand preparations for the exercise are on in full swing in Kerala, Mahe andLakshadweep Islands for the last few weeks, it added.