India's Search and Rescue Region far exceeds its EEZ. Examine the institutional framework for maritime SAR in India and the challenges in carrying out mass rescue operations at sea.

India's Search and Rescue Region (ISRR) covers about 4.6 million sq km, which is far larger than its EEZ [1]. SAREX-2026 off Paradip simulated a passenger aircraft carrying 228 people ditching and hitting a container ship [2]. It showed that India has a mature SAR framework, but also that real mass rescue operations (MROs) remain hard to carry out.

Institutional Framework

• Legal base: The Coast Guard Act, 1978 gives the ICG, which works under the Ministry of Defence, the duty of ensuring the "safety of life and property at sea" [3]. India runs its MRCCs under the SAR Convention, 1979 [4].
• Policy apex: The NMSAR Board is chaired by the DG ICG. Its 31 members include central ministries, the Armed Forces and all coastal States and UTs. It meets every year to review the National Maritime SAR Plan [1].
• Operational layer: MRCCs coordinate the Navy, IAF, DG Shipping, ports, fisheries departments and marine police. SAREX-2026 activated an Incident Command Post, and 32 observers from 30 countries watched [2].
• Technology: ISRO's Distress Alert Transmitters send fishermen's SOS signals to the MRCCs. The second-generation version (DAT-SG) adds an acknowledgement back to the boat [5].

Challenges in Mass Rescue Operations

• Too few assets for the area: The ICG needed 175 ships and 221 aircraft but had only 68 ships and 45 aircraft (2008). Its air arm stood at 48% of the planned level in 2010 [6]. This hurts most in the first "golden hours" of a rescue.
• Funding shortfall: In 2022-23 the ICG was allocated ₹7,310.29 crore against the ₹10,803.85 crore it asked for [7].
• Night readiness: The CAG found that night-flying targets were missed by about 32% [6]. Scheduled daytime drills cannot test how fast agencies respond without warning.
• Shore support: At least 16 stations had no jetty and no refuelling facility [6].
• Alert gap for small boats: Fishermen fall within the NMSARB's remit [1], but it is unclear how many fishing boats carry DAT-SG [5].
• Coordination load: MROs bring aviation, merchant shipping and State agencies together, so command and communication can break down [2].

Way Forward

• Hold no-notice and night drills, and publish after-action reports.
• Buy aircraft first, build up shore infrastructure, and close the budget gap.
• Have the NMSARB set and monitor targets for coastal States to fit DAT-SG on fishing boats.

India's SAR system has a sound legal basis, includes the States, and uses more technology each year. Matching its assets, funding and alert coverage to a 4.6 million sq km responsibility would make India a dependable first responder in the Indian Ocean Region. This would serve the MAHASAGAR vision [8] and SDG 14.