What is ‘Operation Sajag’?

About Operation Sajag:

• It is a coastal security drill conducted by the Indian Coast Guard along the west coast.
• It involved all stakeholders of the Indian coastal security construct.
• A total of 118 ships, including those from Customs, Marine Police, Ports, and the Indian Navy, participated in the drill.
• The drill facilitates revalidation of the coastal security mechanism and brings awareness among the fishermen at sea.
• During the drill, extensive checking and verification of documents and crew passes of all fishing boats, barges and craft at sea was undertaken.
• Biometric card readers have also been issued to security agencies.
• Besides monitoring of dhows, island security and community interaction programmes have been institutionalised under the coastal security construct.

Key Facts about Indian Coast Guard:

• It is an armed force that protects India's maritime interests and enforces maritime law, with jurisdiction over the territorial waters of India, including its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone.
• History: it was formally established in 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 as an independent armed force of India.
• Parent ministry: It operates under the Ministry of Defence.
• Administration: The organization is headed by the Director General Indian Coast Guard (DGICG).
• HQ: New Delhi

Q1) What is an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)?

An “exclusive economic zone,” or “EEZ” is an area of the ocean, generally extending 200 nautical miles (230 miles) beyond a nation's territorial sea, within which a coastal nation has jurisdiction over both living and nonliving resources.The concept of an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) was adopted through the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 

Source: Coastal security drill ‘Operation Sajag’ conducted by Indian Coast Guard along the west coast