[Note: Written for Indian Coast Guard on the occasion of Coast Guard day 2021]
Regressing into the past enlivens memories randomly. It’s not easy to localise fermented thoughts that hurriedly rush to the front for a person not habituated in scavenging the past. The coast guard is firmly associated with my career phase that includes navy and marine customs along an explicit continuum. It is not a faded past but active present. Though officially retired from coast guard, the momentum is still on. The ship is not stopped; it’s still moving… into the future.
“Who will be in charge of safety and security of offshore oil platforms when they come up, the navy or the air force?” was a question that the senior most in the class, a wing commander, asked me, their instructor, rather ardently. It was a leading question. All my students were much senior to me at the prestigious Air Force Administrative College (AFAC) where I was assigned to deliver lectures on naval operations for junior commander’s course (JCC). The year was 1974. I was a lieutenant. For the coordinator of training at Southern Naval Command, I was the right person to deliver the lectures. He said, “You have seen it all Paleri; you are the right person.” Actually he meant I was disposable.
I realised the tone in the question from the smiling and agile wing commander. I was the junior most in that class, though an instructor. All my students adorably ragged me asking difficult and irrelevant questions. Of course, it was a pleasure to be with them later in the air force mess.
I paused a second before answering the question, “Who will protect the offshore rigs?” It cannot be the army or BSF. So it has to be either navy or air force. Then it suddenly dawned in me that the navy was in the process of taking over maritime recce from the air force at that time. The latter was getting ready to ditch or convert the remaining fleet of Lockheed super constellations (superconnies). My dilemma was that of a prisoner. If I say navy, they will shoot me; if I say air force, I will be wrong because of the transition. Thinking for a moment I said, “Sir, it will be a new maritime force that will take care of offshore oil rigs.” There was momentary silence in the class, a sign of disbelief, when a squadron leader from the front raw bellowed in a rather off-tone voice, “Which, one?” I felt I was in a quiz competition and thought of saying “pass.” That was when I realised I would have said the one answer for every question from seniors: “I shall find out, sir.” The good sense didn’t prevail in me. It also happened to Karna on Kurukshethra.
“It will be called the coast guard,” I said loud and unpretentiously. I remembered reading about the US coast guard (USCG) in a book on war while at college.
I had a sigh of relief when I left. But it lasted only for a moment. The news of the new armed force which I blabbered spread around and finally reached the C-in-C who had only one question to my commanding officer, “How did Paleri know the government is thinking about a coast Guard?” Nobody believed me when I told I was just guessing to get out of a situation. They wanted to know, “How was I privy to the knowledge?” But the admiral believed me and told me “Son, you are right.” He was the intrepid Ronald “Ronnie” Lynsdale Pereira.
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) became a reality in 1978 as an armed force of the union under Seventh Schedule, Article 246, List-1, Para 2, of the Constitution of India under its own Act. The service went through many trials and tribulations, natural to any organisation. All the time it stood firm on the strength of its Act, and the forbearing of its people.
There are 143 coast guards in the world including those of quite a few landlocked states1. All of them are unique and country-specific. Their roles are universally similar: law enforcement and service besides other roles in the national interest as specified under their respective laws. The charter of Indian Coast Guard is very specific and crisp, which it will perform as “deems fit” and “without duplication of efforts” individually or along with other armed forces. The Act makes Indian Coast Guard totally dynamic operationally, if the government so desires, and a firm model for others to adapt for country-specific requirements. India has reasons to be proud of its coast guard.
Sweden created the first coast guard (Küstbewakning) in the world (1638). Interestingly it was a decade before the Peace of Westphalia was established affirming the concept of sovereign states, as the countries are today. The peace treaties were established after the Thirty Years’ War in Europe. The Sri Lankan Coast Guard (SLCG) is the latest (2010).
It is not that Indian Coast Guard does not have its fears and uncertainties even today. A drawback is absence of a formal training system. The training is outsourced or done in situ without formal academy or institute. This also means the coast guard does not have any arrangement for strategic research or training in practical enforcement topics like moot court, etc. on subjects that define its roles. This is a major drawback even after 42 years of its existence. It is encouraging to see that the government is serious about a coast guard academy which the service may ensure on fast track.
The service had to face criticalities ab initio with frequent efforts from similar organisations to take over command and control especially eyeing for senior vacancies. This will paralyse the operational service and jeopardise performance effectiveness and efficiency. It is important to understand a coast guard is a much specialised service where experience in chartered duties under terrain specificity matters. The government understands it and has handled prudently so far. But any sort of continuation to dilute the service and its duties can be counterproductive. This is my exclusive and considered opinion. It will be good if the government puts a moratorium on takeover bids or shifting. The government also needs to exploit the coast guard to maximum advantage.
Indian Coast Guard has no limitations in the area of operations under the Act, except in territorial seas of other countries. This is especially so since the ocean beyond the territorial sea is a global commons. In the territorial sea too the service can operate with the permission of host countries under agreements and memorandum of understanding for mutual benefit if there is consensus ad idem between governments. India believes in working together for everybody’s benefit. Limiting Indian Coast Guard operations to specific areas is not a matured decision and goes against its charter under the Act unless it is a matter of operational optimisation. Ultimately it is for a government to decide on policy and use its armed forces and agencies in the best interest of the nation and, thereby, its people, based on the Constitution.
1.Paleri. P. (2009). Coast guards of the world and emerging maritime threats. Special Edition. Ocean Policy Research Foundation. There were 142 as identified in the research in 2008. The SLCG was established subsequently. For a free download go to https://www.spf.org/_opri_media/publication/pdf/200903_ISSN1880-0017.pdf
Key words: String of Pearls, China, India, Indian Ocean Region (IOR), Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC), economic investments.
