6 months ago
1
To plug the gaps successful coastal security, the Union Government has designated the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) arsenic the information regulator for implicit 250 seaports successful the country, a elder authorities authoritative said connected Friday (November 21, 2025). The authorities intends to deploy a “sovereign entity” astatine backstage seaports which grip cargo, the authoritative said bringing them nether a azygous information architecture.
To statesman with, astatine slightest 80 seaports that grip export and import of goods volition beryllium regulated by the CISF to negociate entree control, screening of cargo and patrolling of seafront. The seaports, which grip cargo, volition spot the beingness of a “sovereign” information force.
The CISF presently provides information to each 13 large seaports — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, Odisha, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Andhra Pradesh.
Presently, determination is nary azygous information template for seaports and astatine galore places the information arrangements are being handled by backstage information agencies and section police.
Coastal information is among the topics that volition beryllium discussed astatine the Director Generals of Police (DGP) league organised by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) adjacent week successful Chhattisgarh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi volition beryllium done the presentations made by constabulary officers from crossed the country.
In 2023, pursuing deliberations astatine the National Security Strategy Conference, guidelines were issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to grip seaport security.
On November 18, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways issued an bid designating CISF arsenic the Recognised Security Organisation (RSO) for seaports nether the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.
“Just similar the airports, CISF volition beryllium the pb bureau for seaports. There are assorted gaps and with cautious survey and audit, the occupation areas volition beryllium addressed. While the halfway functions astatine 80 airports that grip cargo volition beryllium with the CISF, the different 170 seaports volition beryllium secured phase-wise,” said the official.
According to CISF’s estimate, astir 800-1,000 unit are required to beryllium deployed to unafraid each seaport. The CISF has requested MHA to authorisation 10,000 further unit for deployment astatine 80 seaports.
“There is capable deployment astatine onshore borders of the state but erstwhile it comes to coastal information we person a agelong mode to go. The areas are unfastened and information architecture is astir absent. Presently, nary sovereign entity is determination to unafraid the backstage oversea ports,” the authoritative added.
This is an result of a Joint Committee of CISF and Director General Shipping, constituted successful September 2024, which made a broad survey of larboard security, conducted spread investigation and made recommendations connected the remedial measures to the Government of India.
Under a hybrid information model, halfway information functions astatine each EXIM (export-import) ports volition beryllium carried retired by CISF and non-core duties specified arsenic postulation management, gross power and ancillary tasks whitethorn beryllium undertaken by State Police oregon Private Security Agencies (PSAs).
“This layered attack is designed to amended accountability, ratio and information uniformity crossed the country’s larboard ecosystem successful enactment with MHA guidelines for information of non-major ports issued successful July 2023,” the authoritative said. The CISF volition besides behaviour mandatory grooming for backstage information personnel.
