Coast Guard celebrates 40th Raising Day, gets PM's kudos

New Delhi

"Their relentless service on our maritime frontiers is exemplary. From guarding coasts, saving lives at sea & preventing marine pollution, we are proud of our Coast Guard personnel," the Prime Minister said in a tweet.

Indian Coast Guard came into existence on February 1, 1977, with the enactment of Coast Guard Act 1978, as a full-fledged independent Armed Force of the Union under the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The Coast Guard is tasked to protect country's interests in the maritime zones. The multi-mission concept of Coast Guard during peacetime broadly consists of Offshore Security, Search & Rescue, Anti-smuggling, Anti-poaching, Lead Intelligence Agency in maritime borders, Effective Pollution response including those on requests from friendly littoral states, focal point of the anti-piracy in South East Asian countries and timely assistance to civil administration during the disaster relief in addition to patrolling vast expanse of the Exclusive Economic Zone of India.

In the aftermath of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, the Coast Guard had been assigned additional responsibilities and designated as the authority responsible for Coastal Security in territorial waters including  areas to be patrolled by the Coastal Police.    
   
"There has been a shift in focus of the coastal security operations with increased emphasis on surveillance, intelligence gathering and information sharing amongst the various stakeholders to ensure an effective response to any emerging situation," the Coast Guard said in a press statement on its Raising Day.

"The CG Western Seaboard, the sword arm of the ICG, is consistently pushing boundaries to provide seamless and gapless coastal security to the Western Region. The ICG on its 40th raising day re-assures to continue its endeavours at sea towards safety of life and property and protection of the maritime interests of the nation, in the extremely diverse, dynamic, expansive and challenging times and prevailing maritime environment with the motto 'Vayam Rakshamah' which means 'We Protect' ", it said.