VISAKHAPATNAM: The Coast Guard (ICG), with a meagre force and two vessels in 1977, has now grown into a major coastal security force with 156 ships and 62 aircraft. The force also became the fourth largest in the world after the ones in the US, the UK and South Korea. It proposes to have 200 vessels and 100 aircraft by 2025.
Briefing media on the eve of its 45th Raising Day, additional director-general V.S. Pathania, Coast Guard commander of the Eastern Board, said the ICG has played a significant role in securing Indian coasts and enforcing regulations within the maritime zones of India. True to its motto “Vayam Rakshamah”, meaning “We Protect”, the service has so far saved over 10,000 lives and apprehended 13,300 miscreants since its inception in 1977. On an average, Coast Guard saves one life every second day at sea, Pathania underlined.
The Coast Guard, despite restrictions imposed by Covid-19 pandemic, maintained strict vigil in Indian Exclusive Economic…