Post-Operation Sindoor, India’s maritime security apparatus has intensified vigilance along the western seaboard and in the sensitive Sir Creek region following credible intelligence of a significant Pakistan military build-up there.
During Operation Sindoor in May, while the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army had launched coordinated strikes against terrorist infrastructure deep inside Pakistan, the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard had ensured seamless maritime security and coordination.
The Indian navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, equipped with BrahMos missiles and MiG-29K fighters, was positioned close to Pakistani waters in the Arabian Sea while the Coast Guard conducted 61 ship sorties and 141 interceptor boat missions to maintain round-the-clock vigilance. Working closely with the Indian Navy, the Coast Guard also diverted more than 1,200 fishing vessels from high-risk zones, reinforcing the coastal defence architecture, particularly in the sensitive creeks.
Since then, the Sir Creek region—a volatile and disputed maritime boundary—has witnessed heightened Pakistani activity. Intelligence assessments indicate that Islamabad has undertaken an aggressive military expansion, constructing new complexes, forward posts and barracks, deploying additional infantry and naval units, and enhancing coastal surveillance through modern radar systems and hovercraft patrols. There are also indications of quadcopter-based reconnaissance operations in the area, reflecting Pakistan’s attempts to assert stronger control over the contested territory.
Coast Guard director general Paramesh Sivamani, who is on a visit to the Sir Creek area to assess operational preparedness, confirmed these developments. “We have credible inputs of a large-scale build-up on the Pakistani side of Sir Creek after Operation Sindoor. The Coast Guard has intensified surveillance and operational readiness across all sensitive sectors,” he said.
Sivamani’s visit came shortly after Pakistan navy chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf made a surprise inspection of forward posts in Sir Creek late last month. Officials said the Coast Guard’s heightened vigilance has deterred the Pakistani military from any attempt at intrusion or provocation.
The Coast Guard commands over 150 surface platforms and 70 aircraft, ensuring constant surveillance of India’s 11,098-km-long coastline and its vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The long-term objective is to achieve the sanctioned strength of 200 surface units and 100 aircraft. Multiple indigenous shipbuilding programmes are underway in Indian shipyards to support this goal, including the construction of offshore patrol vessels, fast patrol vessels, pollution control vessels and interceptor boats.
This reflects India’s commitment to maritime self-reliance. According to Sivamani, the induction of ALH Mk-III helicopters, Dornier-228 aircraft and the upcoming Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft (MMMA) would significantly enhance the Coast Guard’s aerial reach, endurance and flexibility, ensuring a comprehensive maritime surveillance and search-and-rescue capability.
The Coast Guard is also advancing several major acquisition projects, including 18 next-generation fast-patrol vessels, 22 interceptor boats, six next-generation offshore patrol vessels, 12 heavy-duty air-cushion vehicles, five multi-purpose emergency-response vessels and five special-role vessels. These initiatives are designed to expand its operational capabilities, particularly in disaster response and coastal security.
To complement its physical presence, the Coast Guard is expanding the Coastal Surveillance Network (CSN) to provide near-gap-free electronic monitoring of the Indian coastline. While phase one established 46 radar stations—36 on the mainland and 10 on islands—covering areas of high sensitivity and maritime traffic density, the second phase aims to add 38 additional radar stations and four mobile surveillance systems, deployable based on threat perception.
Integration with vessel traffic systems, vessel traffic management systems, and the integrated coastal surveillance system, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), will enhance situational awareness. Advanced Decision Support Software will further strengthen real-time operational decision-making, giving commanders sharper control over maritime incidents.
This modernisation effort has come as a much-needed boost for the Coast Guard, which earlier this year found itself in a controversy. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in February, booked former Coast Guard director general K. Natarajan and others in a case of alleged tampering of annual confidential reports, criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery to manipulate promotions of senior officers.
The investigation was ordered following a ministry of defence fact-finding report that uncovered serious irregularities in the promotion process. The CBI action coincided with court-martial proceedings that recommended the dismissal of a commandant—then serving as the director-general’s staff officer—on bribery charges, a development that sent shockwaves through the Coast Guard ranks.
Sivamani has since extended full cooperation to the investigating agencies and made it clear that the service remains committed to transparency and accountability. “The Coast Guard remains steadfast in its pursuit of honour, integrity and service excellence. Upholding the values of probity, transparency and objectivity, we continue to modernise our infrastructure, ensure personnel welfare and cultivate a culture of professionalism and meritocracy,” he said.
With renewed vigilance, rapid modernisation and an unwavering focus on integrity, India’s maritime forces are ensuring that the nation’s western seaboard remains secure, resilient and ready to counter any challenge from across the waters.
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