India's maritime security architecture has evolved significantly in the post-26/11 era. Critically examine the role of the Indian Coast Guard and recent vessel induction programmes in strengthening coastal security.

Q. India's maritime security architecture has evolved significantly in the post-26/11 era. Critically examine the role of the Indian Coast Guard and recent vessel induction programmes in strengthening coastal security. (15 marks, 250-350 words)

The 26/11 attacks exposed gaps in guarding India's ~7,516 km coastline, prompting a layered architecture with the Indian Coast Guard — a Ministry of Defence force under the Coast Guard Act, 1978 — designated as the authority for coastal security in territorial waters. Sustained capability accretion has since strengthened this framework, though structural weaknesses persist.

Strengths: ICG's expanding mandate - Coordination role: ICG anchors the Navy–ICG–marine police three-tier grid and joint exercises like Sagar Kavach, converting post-26/11 recommendations into practice. - Multi-mission utility: patrol vessels combine maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, marine environmental protection and aid to mariners in distress [1]. - Domain coverage: assets police a 2.37 million sq km EEZ and offshore development areas against narcotics trafficking and illegal fishing.

Strengths: Induction as force multiplier - The ₹473 crore MoD–Goa Shipyard contract (March 2022) for eight Fast Patrol Vessels under Buy (Indian-IDDM) embeds indigenisation in fleet growth [2]. - ICGS Akshay, commissioned at Goa on 27 June 2026, is the fourth of the class [1]; Adamya (June 2025) [3] and Akshar (October 2025) [4] preceded it — an accelerating delivery tempo. - Technologically, over 60% indigenous content, in-house GSL design, 27-knot speed and Controllable Pitch Propellers give shallow-water agility [2][3].

Critical gaps - Inductions remain platform-centric; surveillance depends equally on coastal radar chains, AIS and fishing-boat registration, where coverage is uneven. - Marine police capacity — manpower, jetties, training — lags the ICG, leaving the innermost layer weakest. - Vessel numbers still trail the demands of a vast EEZ and rising extra-regional naval presence.

Thus, the ICG has matured from a constabulary force into the sinew of coastal defence, and indigenous inductions like Akshay give that role credible teeth. The next step lies in pairing hardware with information fusion, empowered marine police and community-based coastal vigilance — realising Atmanirbhar Bharat and SAGAR's vision of safe, secure and clean seas.

(~315 words)

Sources: 1. ICGS Akshay Commissioned into Bharatiya Tatrakshak Fleet — PIB, 27 June 2026 — commissioning date, place, roles, fourth vessel of class 2. MoD signs Rs 473 crore contract with GSL for eight Fast Patrol Vessels — PIB — contract value, Buy (Indian-IDDM), 60%+ indigenous content, in-house GSL design 3. ICG inducts 'Adamya', the first FPV of the eight being built by GSL — PIB — first induction (June 2025), Controllable Pitch Propellers 4. GSL-made Fast Patrol Vessel ICGS Akshar commissioned into Indian Coast Guard — PIB — Akshar commissioning (October 2025), 27-knot speed, indigenous content