The Main Planning Conference for Coastal Defence Exercise Sea Vigil-24, chaired by Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff DCNS was held on 23 October 2024. The conference focused on the comprehensive preparations for Sea Vigil-24, scheduled to be conducted in November 2024. This nationwide Coastal Defence Exercise will see the simultaneous activation of the entire Coastal Defence and Coastal Security Mechanism across all Coastal States and Union Territories. Sea Vigil-24 is designed to test and validate the preparedness of all maritime stakeholders, including Indian Navy (IN), Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), State Marine Police, Fisheries, Customs, Intelligence Bureau (IB), Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL), Oil Operators, and other Central and State agencies. The exercise aims to assess the efficacy of inter-agency coordination, organisational synergy, and response mechanisms in addressing potential security challenges along Indian coastline. During the conference, the discussions were centered on the preparedness of all stakeholders for the successful conduct of Sea Vigil-24, outlining the Key Result Areas KRAs to be achieved, and identifying gaps in the current setup that need to be addressed. Sea Vigil-24 serves as a cornerstone exercise to strengthen India’s Coastal Security framework, ensuring robust surveillance and seamless response to any emergent threat. Indian Navy remains steadfast in its commitment to securing the nation’s coastline, with Sea Vigil-24 playing a pivotal role in bolstering this effort.
