Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the newly constructed Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on August 18, 2024. He also virtually launched the Regional Marine Pollution Response Centre, located at Chennai Port, and the Coast Guard Air Enclave in Puducherry. These facilities have been set up to strengthen maritime security and ensure rapid response to emergencies, reflecting the country’s commitment to maritime safety and environmental protection.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre aims to significantly improve the coordination and effectiveness of maritime rescue operations for seafarers and fishermen in distress. It underlines the government’s determination to protect lives and ensure rapid response in critical situations. The centre is equipped with the latest technology for distress monitoring via terrestrial and satellite systems, along with advanced communication systems for real-time management of alerts by highly trained ICG personnel, specialized in search and rescue operations.

The Regional Marine Pollution Response Centre, described as the first of its kind, has been set up to coordinate responses to marine pollution, particularly oil and chemical spills, in waters adjacent to the coastal states in the Indian Ocean. The establishment of this centre was initially announced by Shri Rajnath Singh at the inaugural Indo-ASEAN meeting held in Cambodia on 22nd November 2022. Under the leadership of Coast Guard Regional Headquarters East, the centre is located at Chennai Port and has an Emergency Response Centre manned 24x7 by ICG personnel to monitor marine oil pollution incidents. The centre will also impart training in pollution response techniques to various organisations including ports, oil processing agencies, government agencies and private entities as well as personnel from friendly nations, involving practical exercises using oil processing equipment to simulate real-time oil spill scenarios.

The Coast Guard Air Enclave, another major development, will play a crucial role in maritime security along the coast of Puducherry and southern Tamil Nadu. The Enclave will be equipped with Chetak and Advanced Light Helicopter Squadrons, both indigenously built and capable of conducting maritime patrols, search and rescue missions and other operations, both from land-based and Coast Guard vessels at sea.