India faces a number of maritime security challenges, including:

 

1. Terrorism: India has faced a number of terrorist attacks, including those perpetrated by sea. There is a risk that terrorists could use the vast coastline and numerous ports as a means of infiltrating the country.

 

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2. Piracy: India has a long history of piracy, and the country's waters continue to be vulnerable to attacks by pirates.

 

3. Drug trafficking: India is a major transit point for illegal drugs, with smugglers often using the country's vast coastline to smuggle drugs into the country.

 

4. Arms trafficking: India's coastline is also used for arms trafficking, with smugglers bringing in weapons for use in various conflicts within the country.

 

5. Illegal fishing: India's waters are also subjected to illegal fishing by foreign vessels, which can lead to overfishing and depletion of fish stocks.

 

In order to address these challenges, India has taken a number of organisational, technical, and procedural initiatives. These include:

 

1. Increasing the number of coastal police stations and marine police units to improve law enforcement capabilities.

 

2. Deploying more patrol vessels, aircraft, and drones to monitor the country's waters and respond to incidents.

 

3. Developing an integrated coastal security system to coordinate the efforts of various agencies responsible for maritime security.

 

4. Enhancing the capability of the Indian Navy to respond to threats at sea, including through the development of a blue-water navy.

 

5. Developing a national maritime domain awareness system to improve situational awareness and response capabilities.

 

6. Improving port security through the implementation of security measures such as perimeter fencing, surveillance cameras, and access control systems.

 

7. Strengthening international cooperation and partnerships to address transnational threats such as piracy and drug trafficking.