The Indian Coastguard: A Non Performing Asset?
In the pre-liberalised era of the 1960s of strict import and foreign exchange controls, extensive seaborne smuggling was a way of life that was a threat to the domestic economy. The Customs with its limited resources could hardly cope and had to call for Navy’s help for patrols and interception. This scenario spawned the formation of a separate paramilitary coastal protection force in the form of the Indian Coast Guard, the very idea of which drew heavily on the well-established model of the US Coast Guard.
The interim Coast Guard came into being on February 01, 1977 with two corvettes and five patrol boats transferred from the Indian Navy and manned by its personnel. The duties and functions of the Coast Guard were formally defined in the Coast Guard Act which was passed by the Parliament on August 18, 1978, and came into immediate effect.
The Indian Coast Guard’s motto is the Sanskrit phrase, “वयम रक्षाम: ” (Vayam Rakshamah) which, in English translates to “We Protect”.
It has the following responsibilities:-
- Maritime safety, search and rescue
- Protection of offshore installations and assets
- Law enforcement in territorial as well as international waters
- Protection of marine ecology and environment
- Scientific data collection and support
- Maritime defence support
From the fledgling interim set up to the present full-fledged Coast Guard, the growth in force levels has been phenomenal and continues at a galloping rate. The Coast Guard now has a force level of over 90 ships with another almost equal number on order. These consist of the Offshore Patrol Vessels capable of operations in the Exclusive Economic Zone extending to 200 nautical miles from the coast, Inshore Patrol Vessels for the 12 nautical mile territorial waters and adjoining contiguous zone and for closer inshore – Interceptor Boats, Fast Patrol Boats, Seaward Defence Boats and Hovercraft, besides a specialised Pollution Control Vessel. The air element has Dornier fixed wing aircraft and Chetak helicopters with the latter being capable of being operated from the larger patrol vessels. These assets are distributed amongst
- 42 Coast Guard Stations
- 5 Coast Guard Air Stations
- 10 Coast Guard Air Enclaves
The force is expected to be tripled in terms of vessels, aircraft and manpower by 2019. The question remains about what the nation is getting in return for this huge investment in material and human resources with regard to the missions that the force is tasked with.
Achieving maritime safety would entail ensuring that the laws and regulations which govern the operations of seaborne craft are adhered to. The Indian Coast Guard has so far not been seen to play any role in this area. It has been the exclusive preserve of the Director General of Shipping who operates through the regional Maritime Marine Departments. The situation is quite different with the US Coast Guard which actively monitors this aspect in the US waters. The US Coast Guard boards vessels for wide ranging inspections including the conduct of safety drills. Vessels found deficient in any area are liable to be detained. Serious infringement can lead to imposition of penalties. They also keep a historic record of such inspections which classifies ships according to country of registry, the company to which she belongs and the result of inspections. When a higher than normal proportion of ships of a country or a particular company are found to be deficient, the rest of the ships of the country or company are highlighted for more intensive scrutiny.
Search and rescue is a reactionary operation. When a distress message is received or assistance is sought, the Coast Guard is meant to react as also other vessels in the vicinity. There is nothing exceptional in this role except that it tends to grab headlines. Even in this respect take the case of the grounding of tanker MV Pratibha Cauvery off Chennai port during Cyclone Nilam on October 31, 2012. The approach of the cyclone and cautionary signals were promulgated widely. When the vessel broke from her moorings and was being washed ashore, she sent out distress messages in the afternoon. The Coast Guard was conspicuous by its lack of response. 22 of the crew attempted to make it to the safety of the beach by the ship’s lifeboat. The lifeboat capsized. 17 of them were rescued by fishermen with the balance five reported to be missing. The Coast Guard appeared only the next day to airlift the 17 crew who had remained onboard the ship. This is in sharp contrast to HMS Bounty, a 1962-built replica of a sailing vessel which sank well off Cape Hatteras on the East coast of USA in Hurricane Sandy, which for its extraordinary ferocity was termed “Frankestorm”. 14 of the 16 crew of the ship who managed to board the life raft were all rescued by the US Coast Guard in the face of the raging storm.
Law enforcement in territorial and international waters and ensuring the protection of offshore installations would encompass the prevention of smuggling, illegal immigration, piracy and terrorist activity. Amongst them, post liberalisation, smuggling of gold, electronic items and the like have lost its earlier glitter. Drug smuggling is a distinct possibility. However, one has not come across any report of active preventive pursuits being instituted against this activity. Piracy has become a serious and ever widening threat to seaborne trade, especially in the Arabian and adjoining sea areas. One reads only of an Indian Navy role in anti-piracy operations and not that of the Coast Guard. Illegal immigration and sea-borne terrorist activity, especially the latter, is an ever present and potent threat. Our vulnerability in this area was glaringly exposed during the 2008 Mumbai terrorist strike. Whether we are safer today is a moot point.
Protection of marine ecology and environment involves the enforcement of stringent international marine pollution laws. Maritime pollution laws stipulate that no garbage of any kind is to be disposed of within three nautical miles of land. Only food waste can be discarded between three and 12 nautical miles. Items such as paper, glass and metal ground to small size and so on up are to be thrown over 25 nautical miles from land. Disposal of plastic items is totally banned. Similar stringent regulations also govern the discharge of fluids with oil content. There is no enforcement whatsoever of these anti-pollution laws along the Indian coast. Waters of ports like Mumbai are a cesspool of garbage that is dumped with impunity by ships. This is the state within three nautical miles of the nearest land where no garbage is allowed to be dumped. The less said about garbage dumping in the waters further away the better.
So is the case with dirty oil discharge. Oil slicks can be found within harbours and along the coast. Periodically, there are reports of tar balls fouling the once pristine beaches such as those of Goa. Besides lack of enforcement of anti-pollution laws, a contributory factor is the lack of an effective garbage and waste oil collection system in any of our ports that the state is meant to provide.
In sharp contrast to our non-existent enforcement of anti-pollution laws, the US Coast Guard has a very active enforcement ethos. The US waters are regularly patrolled and policed. The functioning of the ship’s anti-pollution equipment such as oily water separator is inspected. Any oil slick detected or reported is tracked to its origin and the offending ship’s Master and Chief Engineer brought to book, which includes possible jail terms.
The effects of this proactive enforcement were very evident. There are two examples of this: the first is of the Great Lakes which is a fresh water body bound to the South by the US and to the North by Canada. On the lake shores, are large industrial cities such as Detroit and Chicago. The lakes are traversed by a large number of ships which call at these ports. Despite all this, there are regions marked on the lake charts from where the water can be pumped directly into the ship’s fresh water storage tanks for domestic use. Many ships avail of this. The second is an incident relating to garbage bags in a drum which was being hoisted from the ship alongside a jetty. The intention was to lower the drum to the shore reception point. During the hoisting the line of the winch parted and the drum with the garbage bags fell into the water. The frantic efforts that next ensued to retrieve the floating garbage bags was personally supervised by the Master with almost the entire ship’s company being called to take part in the operation. Would there be such a commitment to anti-pollution laws in India?
Any scientific data collection efforts of the Coast Guard have been unheard of. As for the last mission of maritime defence support, when wartime operations are instituted, the Coast Guard would be placed under the operational control of the Indian Navy.
If the Coast Guard appears to be making minimal or nil contribution to achieving its stated missions, what does this large force do?
Cargo ships have called many times at minor ports which have a Coast Guard presence such as Porbandar, Okha and Beypore. Porbandar port has a dedicated Coast Guard enclosure with a jetty that appeared to be home to two Offshore Patrol Vessels, two Fast Patrol Vessels and an assortment of Interceptor Craft. In the many visits which had stays at the port for four days at a time for loading, these ships hardly ever left their jetty abode. One could see the crew being occupied with a daily routine of physical training in the morning, shipboard maintenance and work during the day and games in the evening – a schedule more suited to an office environment. At other ports, the pattern was the same. The times when the ships were seen patrolling and keeping a check appeared to be when there were scheduled exercises.
As for security, what could be perceived while sailing extensively along the coast are calls on the radio from the Coast Guard to ships to check vessel name and other particulars. Most of this information is readily available to all in the vicinity from the reception of the Automatic Identification System (AIS). This equipment which are mandatorily fitted on all ships continuously transmit the ship’s name, position and movement data and can be received by any craft which has similar equipment. Hence, the security benefit from these calls remains a mystery.
Overall, the Coast Guard seems to have assumed the role of a reactionary force in its allotted tasks. Such an approach suits the Indian Navy of being a maritime sword arm that is capable of punishing any endeavor that is inimical to the nation’s maritime interests and thereby acting as a deterrent. The Coast Guard’s approach to meeting its tasks needs to be different and should be that of being the maritime policeman. Policing requires presence at sea on a regular and continuing basis along with active and, wherever necessary, physical interrogation of all craft using our waters. With their ships stuck to the shore or of taking a detached interest, this does not seem to be happening.
Conclusion
The Indian Coast Guard does not pull its weight in meeting its stated missions for the huge investments being made by the nation on its development and upkeep. The force needs to radically reorient its operations philosophy to that of policing the seas. In undertaking such policing, it needs to arm and train itself for:
- Ensuring the adherence to the laws and regulations governing the operation of sea-borne craft.
- Regular and sustained patrols along coastal and off shore waters as a deterrent against piracy, terrorist strikes, illegal immigration and narcotics smuggling. Such patrols should also involve active interrogation of the users of the seas when there is the slightest room for suspicion.
- Proactive measures to ensure the prevention of pollution and protection of environment right from the port precincts to the offshore areas.
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