The Modi Government has decided to set up National Maritime Authority to guard the 7,500 km coastline and prevent repeat of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack in which terrorists sneaked into the city from sea in 2008.
President Pranab Mukherjee in his address to joint session of Parliament here on Monday said, “Recognising the importance of coastal security, my Government will set up a National Maritime Authority”.
The proposal for such a structured agency was mooted soon after the Mumbai attacks in 2008, including appointment of a Maritime Security Advisor, who will brief the political leadership on all issues related to maritime security. However, difference of opinion between the civil and military bureaucracy as to who will be the advisor proved to be a major stumbling block in forming the Authority.
All the stakeholders in maritime and coastal security were to be brought under the Authority and they were supposed to update the advisor for suitable action. There are more than 15 stakeholders, including the Navy, Coast Guards, Customs, Port Authority, Intelligence agencies, police forces of all the nine littoral States and Fisheries Department.
At present, the Cabinet Secretary heads an informal structure wherein all the stakeholders report to him but these meetings are not held regularly. Meanwhile, the Navy is designated as the lead agency for maritime security and it carries out exercises with all the agencies as per mutually-agreed calendar.
The new Government also promised to overhaul Defence procurement system to increase efficiency and encourage domestic military industrial base, liberalised FDI in Defence, implementing ‘One Rank One Pension,’ setting up a ‘Veteran’s Commission’ to look into the issues faced by ex-servicemen and build a National War Memorial for the martyred soldiers.