Enhancing coastal surveillance

On 21 February 2017, the Defence Acquisition Council cleared the project for second phase of radars for coastal surveillance to augment surveillance along the country’s western, southern and eastern coast, and integrate its coastlines under a single radar system. “This involves the setting up of 38 additional radar stations and four mobile surveillance stations, ensuring gapless surveillance of vessels up to 25 nautical miles”. The first phase of the surveillance project comprising 46 radar stations, 36 along the mainland coasts and 10 on the islands, was undertaken soon after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008. The radar system would enable detection and widespread dissemination of information leading to a far more coordinated action between the Navy, the Indian Coast Guard, marine police, state police forces, customs, CISF, IB, R&AW and various ports.