What is Sagar Kavach?

About Sagar Kavach

• The exercise, conducted semi-annually, is a collaborative effort with active participation from various central and state agencies, showcasing a unified approach to fortifying India's coastal defenses.
• Coordinated by the Indian Coast Guard, 'Sagar Kavach' brings together an amalgamation of forces, including the Indian Navy, Coastal Police/State Police, Intelligence Bureau, Customs, CISF, Department of Port, Department of Fisheries, Directorate General of Lighthouse and Lightships (DGLL), and Kadalora Jagiratha Samithi.
• The exercise is designed to address the unique complexities of the coastal terrain, ensuring that security mechanisms are robust and adaptive to various scenarios.
• Strategic Division: Attack vs. Defence Forces
  • The participating units in the exercise are strategically divided into two teams: Attack (Red) and Defence (Blue) forces.
  • The Red forces simulate infiltration attempts into coastal areas from seaward, challenging the coastal defenses.
  • In contrast, the Blue forces counteract these simulated threats by establishing Coastal Security Surveillance to intercept and neutralize any infiltration attempts.
  • Recognizing the pivotal role of fishermen in coastal security, the exercise emphasizes the need for their active involvement.
  • Fishermen are urged to promptly report any unknown vessels operating in proximity to the coast to the Indian Coast Guard.
  • This collaborative approach aims to enhance the eyes and ears along the coastal region, turning the local fishing community into a valuable asset for security.

Q1) What is the Indian Coast Guard (ICG)?

The Indian Coast Guard is a multi-mission organization, conducting round-the-year real-life operations at sea. Despite being relatively small, it has a wide range of task capabilities for both surface and air operations. The organization is headed by the Director General Indian Coast Guard (DGICG) exercising his overall command and superintendence from the Coast Guard Headquarters (CGHQ) located at New Delhi.

Source: Indian Coast Guard orchestrates Exercise 'Sagar Kavach' to bolster coastal security