The Aryavarth Express
Agency(Gujarat): The Indian Coast Guard’s strategic capabilities received a significant boost with the inauguration of the ICG Jetty at Vadinar, Dwaraka (Gujarat) by the Raksha Rajya Mantri, Shri Ajay Bhatt, on March 1, 2024. This development is a key step in enhancing infrastructure along the critical Northwest segment of India’s coastline. Constructed at a cost of Rs. 74 crores by the Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) as a deposit work, the new facility underscores the nation’s commitment to fortifying its maritime interests.
During the inauguration, Shri Bhatt highlighted the critical role of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in protecting national maritime interests and emphasized the strategic importance of the Vadinar region. Given that 74% of India’s crude oil imports pass through Vadinar and Kandla, making the area a vital point for energy security, the need for round-the-clock surveillance to thwart potential infiltrations by anti-national elements is paramount. The Vadinar Jetty is poised to significantly enhance the operational capabilities of the ICG, ensuring a more robust defense mechanism along the coast.
The jetty is not only a strategic asset for the ICG, enabling all-weather operations and swift deployment of ships during emergencies but also offers berthing facilities to Indian Navy vessels. Such infrastructure is crucial for maintaining vigilance along the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the International Maritime Boundary Line, safeguarding against threats to national security and economic interests.
The ICG, with its headquarters in New Delhi, operates under the command of the Director General of the Indian Coast Guard. It executes its mandate through five regional headquarters across India, including Gandhinagar, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Port Blair. The North-West regional headquarters, established in Gandhinagar on December 16, 2009, oversees the maritime zones of Gujarat, Daman & Diu. Gujarat’s extensive coastline, which constitutes one-sixth of India’s total coastal length and shares a notional maritime border with Pakistan, is of strategic importance for the country’s maritime security and surveillance efforts.
This inauguration marks a pivotal enhancement in India’s coastal defense infrastructure, promising improved security and operational efficiency for the Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy in a region crucial for the nation’s economic and security interests.