India: augment Coast Guard
Ongoing security concerns voiced.
Urgent need to augment fleet of Coast Guard vessels: Parrikar
Stating that the country cannot afford to be complacent on its national security, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said there is an urgent need to augment the Coast Guard fleet to the sanctioned quota of 184 vessels.
Parrikar was speaking on Monday after commissioning four Coast Guard ships ‘ICG Amay’, ‘ICG Amog’, ‘C 413’ and ‘C 414’ at the Mormugao Harbour on Monday. Others present at the function included Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, Speaker Rajendra Arlekar, Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida, Director General India Coast Guard Vice Admiral Anuraj Thapliyal, DIG Coast Guard Goa region Manoj Baadkar and other Coast Guard officials.
Speaking further, Parrikar complimented the Coast Guard for introducing four boats, two fast patrol vessels and two interceptors. “In the last two years, I have witnessed the Coast Guard fleet grow from 30 to 35 per cent. The Coast Guard is the first protector of the 7516-km coastline from pirates and other perpetrators at sea,” stated Parrikar.
“Coast Guards will apply adequate capacity both in the sea and air. There is an urgent need to augment the Coast Guard fleet to the sanctioned quota of 184 vessels. It has 64 various types of planes and helicopters and this should be increased to over 100 to meet the challenges of today,” he added.
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Source: goacom.com
