Exercise Sea Vigil - Indian Navy Defence Exercise | UPSC Notes

Delving into Ex Sea Vigil 2022

The third iteration of the Pan India Coastal Defence exercise, dubbed as Sea Vigil 2022, was conducted at a national scale. This exercise was carried out by the Indian Navy in tandem with the Coast Guard and other relevant maritime ministries in November 2022.

Understanding Ex Sea Vigil:

• The concept of a national level coastal defense exercise was first introduced in 2018. The goal was to validate the various measures that have been implemented to enhance maritime security since the infamous 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
• The primary objective of the 'Sea Vigil' exercise is to activate the Coastal Security apparatus across the country and evaluate the effectiveness of the Coastal Defence mechanism.
• The inaugural Sea Vigil exercise was conducted in January 2019.
• In January 2021, the second edition of Sea Vigil took place.

A Deeper Dive into Ex Sea Vigil 2022:

• The third edition of Ex Sea Vigil was initiated on the eastern seaboard as part of the nationwide coastal defense exercise.
• The Sea Vigil 22 exercise covered the 7,516 km coastline of the country and the Exclusive Economic Zone of the country. It involved all the coastal states, Union Territories, and other maritime stakeholders, including the fishing and coastal communities.
• The Indian Navy, in collaboration with the Coast Guard and other maritime ministries, carries out the exercise. These ministries include the Ministries of Home Affairs, Ports Shipping and Waterways, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Customs, and other agencies of the Centre/States, excluding the Ministry of Defence.
• The exercise serves as a precursor to the major Theatre Level Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX), which the Indian Navy conducts every two years. Together, Sea Vigil and TROPEX cover the entire spectrum of Maritime Security challenges.
• The insights gained from the exercise will further bolster the overall coastal defense structure of the country, particularly in terms of seamless communication, coordination among security agencies, and resource optimization.

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