ICGS Full Form

What is the full form of ICGS?

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), a multi-mission organization, undertakes year-round actual maritime activities. ICG includes ships to carry out these activities within Indian territorial waters. These Indian Coast Guard Ships (ICGS) support the operations of the ICG unit. India's territorial waters, comprising its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone, are under the jurisdiction of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), a maritime law enforcement and search and rescue organization. The Coast Guard Act, of 1978 of the Indian Parliament officially constituted the Indian Coast Guard on 1 February 1977. Under the Ministry of Defense, it runs. The Indian Navy, the Department of Fisheries, the Department of Revenue (Customs), the Central Armed Police Forces, the State Police Services, and the Coast Guard collaborate closely.

History of ICGS

To offer the country non-military maritime services, the Indian Navy first suggested the establishment of the Indian Coast Guard. India's internal economy was threatened by the seaborne smuggling of products in the 1960s. The Indian Navy was frequently requested by the Indian Customs Department to aid with patrol and interception in the fight against smuggling.

To investigate the issue, the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force joined the Nagchaudhuri Committee. The committee determined in August 1971 that it was necessary to police India's extensive coastline, create an offshore fishing vessel registry to track down unlawful activity and create a competent and well-equipped force to apprehend vessels carrying out illicit activities. The committee also considered the quantity and kind of infrastructure, staff, and equipment needed to deliver those services.

Under the guidelines of the Maintenance of Internal Security Act, India had begun a program to acquire the tools and began assigning Indian Navy personnel to these anti-smuggling and law enforcement missions by 1973. The Indian Navy felt that the legal aspect of these responsibilities deviated from its primary goal as a military institution. Thus, the then-Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sourendra Nath Kohli, recommended to the Defence Secretary the creation of a separate maritime service to carry out those responsibilities and offered the Navy's aid in its development. The Defence Secretary sent a memorandum to the Cabinet Secretary on August 31, 1974, recommending that the cabinet act on Admiral Kohli's advice.

As a result, in September 1974, the Indian cabinet established the Khusro Faramurz Rustamji-chaired Rustamji Committee, with participation from the Navy, the Air Force, and the Department of Revenue, to investigate security and law enforcement gaps between the Indian Navy's roles and those of the national and state police forces. The finding of oil off Bombay High brought even more attention to the requirement for maritime law enforcement and protection service. On July 31, 1975, the committee issued its recommendation for the Ministry of Defence to establish the Indian Coast Guard. After some fighting in the bureaucracy, the Cabinet Secretary recommended moving the service under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Then, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi decided to approve the Rustamji Committee's initial suggestion to place the service under the Ministry of Defence, overruling the Cabinet Secretary.

Recent Information on an ICGS

The "Vajra" vessel of the Indian Coast Guard entered official service on March 24th, 2021. This is the sixth vessel to increase coastal security through the offshore patrol.

Key information about the ICGS offshore patrol vessel "VAJRA"

1. Larsen and Turbo created Vajra in-country, and they built it.

2. The sixth of a series of seven Offshore Patrol Vessels are ICGS Vajra (OPVs).

3. It is a 98-meter ship with space for four high-speed boats and a twin-engine helicopter.

4. Its main weapon is a 30-mm gun, and for improved fighting effectiveness, it is equipped with two 12.7-mm SRCGs.

5. It can be utilized for Maritime Patrol, Law Enforcement, and Search and Rescue.

6. Additionally, it can transport pollution response tools for at-sea oil spill response.

ICGS Categories

Following are the categories of Indian Coast Guard Ships (ICGS)

1. Pollution-control vessel ICGS

2. Offshore Patrol Boats ICGS

3. Fast Patrol Vessels ICGS

4. Patrol Boats ICGS

5. Patrol Crafts, ICGS

6. Hovercrafts ICGS

List of Pollution-control vessel ICGS

List of Offshore Patrol Boats ICGS

List of Fast Patrol Vessels ICGS

List of Patrol Boats ICGS

List of Patrol Crafts, ICGS

List of Hovercrafts ICGS

Organization of Indian Coast Guard

The Director-General of the Indian Coast Guard (DGICG), who oversees the entire operation from the Coast Guard Headquarters (CGHQ) in New Delhi, oversees the organization.

He is supported at CGHQ by four Deputy Director Generals of the Inspector General rank as well as other senior officers in charge of different staff divisions.

The Maritime Zones of India are split into five Coast Guard Regions for efficient command and control, namely:

1. North-West (Regional Headquarters in Gandhinagar)

2. West (Regional Headquarters in Mumbai) (Regional Headquarters at Mumbai)

3. East (Regional Headquarters in Chennai) (Regional Headquarters at Chennai)

4. North-East (Regional Headquarters in Kolkata) (Regional Headquarters at Kolkata)

5. Andaman Along with Nicobar (Regional Headquarters at Port Blair)

Inspector General officers oversee the Coast Guard Regions. The areas are further divided into twelve Coast Guard "Districts" in Kavaratti on the Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands, one for each of the nine coastal states on the mainland.

There are one or more Coast Guard Stations in each Coast Guard District. For air operations from various points along the coastline, there are also Coast Guard Air Stations (CGAS) and Air Enclaves (CGAE).

Missions of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG)

The following are the missions of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG):

1. Protection of offshore terminals, artificial islands, and other installations

2. Assistance and protection for mariners and fishermen at sea

3. Pollution prevention and control as well as preservation and conservation of marine ecology

4. Assistance with anti-smuggling activities to the Department of Customs and other authorities

5. The execution of the law in both national and international waterways

6. Support for the gathering of scientific data

7. Defense of the nation amid wars (under the operational control of the Indian Navy)

Responsibilities of the Indian Coast Guard:

The Indian Coast Guard is also in charge of the following duties:

1. The Director-General of the Indian Coast Guard is the Chairman of the Offshore Security Coordination Committee (OSCC), which was established by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) and is a member of the Flag Officer Defence Advisory Group.

2. National Maritime Search and Rescue Coordinating Authority (NMSARCA) - The NMSARCA is responsible for carrying out and coordinating search and rescue (SAR) activities. It is headed by the Director-General of the Indian Coast Guard

3. The Lead Intelligence Agency (LIA) for border areas along the sea

4. Coastal Security - The Indian Coast Guard Director-General oversees coastal command and oversees overall coordination between federal and state authorities in all matters about coastal security.