Indian Coast Guard’s 46th Raising Day

Indian Coast Guard celebrated its 46th Raising Day on 1 Feb 2022. From a modest beginning with just 7 surface platforms in 1978, ICG has grown into a formidable force with 158 ships and 70 aircraft in its inventory and is likely to achieve targeted force levels of 200 surface platforms and 80 aircraft by 2025.

As the fourth largest Coast Guard in the world, Indian Coast Guard has played a significant role in securing the Indian Coasts and enforcing regulations in the Maritime Zones of India. To its credit, the force has saved 1226 lives at sea in last one year and 11,082 lives since inception which translates into saving of one precious life at sea every second day. In addition, ICG also saved 339 people in last one year and overall 12,934 personnel have been rescued till date by the service during various ‘Aid to Civil Authority’ operations viz., assistance provided to civil authorities during floods, cyclones and other natural calamities; most recently during the recent floods in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa.

In keeping with the nation’s vision of ‘SAGAR’ & ‘Neighbourhood First’, ICG has nurtured professional relationships across oceans and established meaningful ties with countries in the Indian Ocean Region for Ocean Peacekeeping. ICG has successfully averted major ecological disasters and emerged as the ‘First Responder’ in the region by undertaking major firefighting and pollution response operation off Sri Lanka coast, the most recent being onboard Chemical carrier MV X-Press Pearl, namely Sagar Aaraksha-II. Such actions of ICG have garnered immense goodwill and trust of India’s littoral friends, as also reflected India’s international stature as a strong maritime nation.